The Room of Necessity
by greenfly
Summary: [complete] SEQUEL POSTED. Draco has to stay at Hogwarts over Christmas break and it's proving to be very... interesting...
1. A Bad Day

**The Room of Necessity**

**Disclaimer**: If I ever owned anything other than my computer I would be a very happy bunny. But as life would have it, I don't. And that includes anything to do with J. K. Rowling. So I'm not a bunny. Ironic, isn't it?

Many thanks to Miraen for being a wonderful and helpful beta reader!

_Just a note to say that I have now revised this fic and hopefully improved it a little, but because ffn is cracking down on authors writing personalised answers to reviews, I have deleted all of mine and any thanks to specific reviewers. However, valid questions that I have answered still remain, because I think that others might benefit from any explanations given._

_Also, ffn's upload system will not allow you to put question marks and exclamation marks together; they just show up as exclamation marks. So that's why some question marks are missing. Don't know why I'm telling you this, but I suppose if you're a stickler for grammar…_

"It is wisdom to recognize necessity… though as folly it may appear to those who cling to false hope."_-Gandalf in 'The Fellowship of the Ring' by J. R. R. Tolkein._

**Chapter One**

Draco was in a foul mood. It was the first day of Christmas break and he was at school. He had spent the last few weeks eager to go home; a respite from Pansy Parkinson who was staying at Hogwarts, and back to the welcome privacy of his own room. He had been packed and ready to go, and had just been getting into a carriage that would take him to the train when none other than his moody potions master stalked up.

"Professor?" Malfoy asked, trying to look less irritated then he was actually feeling as he levitated his trunk into the carriage where Crabbe and Goyle sat, looking very much like two extremely large pigs. He bit his tongue when Snape levitated his trunk back out again.

"Professor…" He whined, turning to face Snape.

"You'll not be going home today Malfoy."

"What!"

"Don't you dare take that tone with me; I'm not happy either. Dumbledore and I have both received owls from your parents. They're busy. You're staying here. Go unpack your things."

Snape set Draco's trunk down on the wet, muddy ground and stalked off. Malfoy stood motionless, stared at by two gaping lumps of flesh with no brain. Ignoring them as the carriage began to pull away; a _very_ angry Malfoy levitated his trunk back into Hogwarts and left it in the great hall, calling for a houself to carry it back to his dorm.

He then left for the owlery from where he sent blunt, annoyed letter to his mother demanding to know why this had happened. Just as he was chucking his owl – Darkwing – out of the window he heard voices and couldn't help but groan: it was Pot and Wease.

"…And I had this weight on my chest right here, and I couldn't breathe properly so I guess I woke up and…"

"It was Dobby!" Ron asked incredulously.

"Yup. I was scared out of my wits at the time but – "

Both froze in the doorframe glaring at Draco, who smirked.

"What the hell are you doing here Draco?" Draco ignored him.

"What was that about being scared of a houself Potter?"

"So your parents finally decided that they couldn't stand you any longer did they? Well, my congratulations to them for coming to their senses."

"It would be a lot funnier Weasel if you weren't here because all your parents can afford to feed you at home is mud."

Draco watched in amusement as Ron turned an interesting shade of fuchsia. Harry quickly grabbed Ron's forearm and started to drag him away, talking loudly enough for Draco to hear as they walked back down the corridor.

"C'mon Ron. Let's leave the stuck up little bastard alone with the patch of owl dung he's currently standing in."

Draco gasped and looked down. Sure enough, there it was. He lifted his leg in disgust and started trying to wipe his shoe on some clean hay.

"Oh, and look Harry. Here comes the love of his life. Hi Pansy."

Draco's head snapped up and all the colour that was there - disappeared.

'_Oh no'._

"Pansy, Draco's decided to stay behind over Christmas to spend some quality time with you. He's in the owlery."

Pansy was about to bash Harry over the head for being such an impertinent little git to an upper-class lady such as herself, when she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. Peering in the direction of the owlery she saw a streak of blonde slip out and start running away down the corridor. This could only mean one thing, her furiously-working mind concluded. No one else had such glaringly white-blonde hair.

"Draco!" She squealed in a strangely guttural voice, and ignoring the Pot and Wease she dashed after him, clutching her robes tightly around her podgy frame. Ron and Harry watched with joy as Draco flinched when his name was called and pick up speed; sprinting away around that corner as if he was being chased by a rabid dog, which – in their opinion – he was. Clutching their stomachs in pain while they doubled over with laughter, Ron and Harry staggered back into the owlery.

HPHPHPHPHPHP

'_Damn it all to hell!'_ Draco thought as he ran. _'How can my life be made any worse?'_ Sprinting around yet another corner he unexpectedly collided with something very hard and crashed to the floor in an undignified heap.

"Granger! You stupid mudblood! Watch where you're going!"

Hermione picked herself off of the floor and opened her mouth to reply when she heard Pansy call for Draco. She grinned as Draco's eyes widened and he jumped to his feet.

"Oh Pan-sy." She called in a sing-song voice, but then she felt a clammy hand over her mouth and she was forcefully shoved by Draco though a nearby door. He followed her through and locked the door with a quick spell.

"Malfoy! You'd better – "

"_Expelliarmus!_"

Gasping, Hermione watched in desperation as Malfoy grabbed her wand from the air and shoved it deep into an inner pocket of his cloak. She opened her mouth to scream but suddenly found this impossible. Instead she saw spots. Draco had pushed her hard up against a wall, bashing her head. He had one hand over her mouth and a forearm pressed against her windpipe. He pushed on it threateningly.

"If you so much as breathe Granger, I'll throttle you." He hissed before his body went rigid. He could hear Pansy calling for him just outside…

**A/N**

There ya go: Chapter One. Personally I think that my writing improves as we go along, but you'll just have to see. Remember to review and give me your opinion. It means a great deal.


	2. Chapter Two

**The Room of Necessity**

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing. Wish I did though…

**Chapter Two**

So far this had been a really, really bad day for Draco. First he gets told that he has to stay at Hogwarts over Christmas. Then the bratty duo Potty Potter and Measly Weasley show up and set Pansy the Hound on him – the bane of all humankind. And THEN he has to run into _this_ stupid little mudblood who doesn't watch where she's going and can't mind her own business. He hated them all but was currently quite willing to take it all out on Granger. He smirked as her eyes widened with fear at his threat of strangulation. He doubted he actually would, but you never know… He was breathing heavily from his run and Granger didn't seem to be breathing at all. Good. At least she was quiet.

Looking towards the door, Draco listened carefully until he was sure that Pansy had gone. He smirked again, this time in satisfaction. He'd lost her. Turning back to Hermione he quickly let go: her eyes were closed. As soon as he dropped her he had to catch her again as she began to slide down the wall. Gently, Draco lowered her to the ground. It was then that he realised that he had unwittingly made good on that threat of his. She WASN'T breathing. Shit. This was NOT meant to happen. Grumbling he put his ear against her chest to see if she had started to breathe yet.

"Get off me Malfoy or I'll kill you."

Draco jumped up in the blink of an eye and carefully backed away from the enraged female who was getting to her feet.

"What the hell was _that_! I knew you were a crazed lunatic Malfoy, but this is something else."

"You deserved it."

"Deserve being STRANGLED!"

"You're breathing now."

"YOU! You… you… ARGH!" Hermione screamed in frustration as she stomped to the door. Then she stopped, slowly turned and menacingly began to advance towards a cowering Draco.

"Give me back my wand Malfoy."

"Will you leave me alone?" He winced at how frightened he sounded. Hermione stopped.

"Of all the… Yes." She ground out between clenched teeth.

"Promise?"

"Give it here Malfoy before I do something that YOU will regret."

Draco threw her wand behind him and ran for the door. It wouldn't open.

* * *

**A/N**

R&R Please, pretty please with sugar and a cherry on top? _Puppy dog eyes. Brings you the newspaper, a mug of coffee and some chocolate_ PLEASE?


	3. Puzzles

**The Room of Necessity**

**Disclaimer:** Nope, you guessed right. None of it's mine.

**Chapter Three**

Wand in hand Hermione watched as Draco threw himself against the door. She was fuming, but he looked so much like a frightened rabbit… Cute but really, really sad. She stalked up to him and noted how he quailed at her presence.

"What have you done Malfoy?"

"_I've_ done nothing." Draco had begun to regain his composure. If she hadn't attacked him already, she wasn't going to.

"Move aside." He considered arguing but decided that it wasn't worth it. Reluctantly he moved.

"Alohamora." Nothing happened. She tried again. Still nothing. "Malfoy…" she warned.

"I didn't do anything, I swear!"

"Just wait until Dumbledore hears about all this." He gulped.

They spent the next few minutes trying to open the door. Draco was just about to try another spell when suddenly: the door disappeared, leaving nothing but hard grey stone wall. Draco and Hermione both screamed and flung themselves at it, but nothing happened.

"See what you've done!"

"ME!"

"No, it was Elvis. Of course you!"

"Who's Elvis? Never mind. Granger, I don't see how you can blame any of this on me."

"Quite easily." Hermione sighed heavily in frustration and dropped to the floor, her back resting against the wall where there had once been a door. She closed her eyes in resignation and sighed again. _'What have I let myself in for?'_

"Granger," Her eyes snapped open. "Have you ever seen this place before?"

She surveyed the room they were in. No windows, no doors. No desks. It was a box. An empty box with stone sides. She began to panic.

"Where are we Malfoy?" He groaned. How could anyone think that she was clever? He opened his mouth to say something vicious, but closed it again. This wasn't _completely _her fault. Nor his for that matter. He sighed, deciding to be civil.

"I've never been here before in my life."

"It must be one of Hogwarts' special rooms." Draco cocked his head in query and she elaborated: "Dumbledore told Harry one time that there are rooms in this school that appear and disappear. This must be one of them." It looked for a second as if Malfoy was about to argue but for her eternal relief he didn't. "I wish I knew how to get out." Hermione closed her eyes again and tilted her head back against the wall. She was sooo tired…

"Me too." For the second time Hermione's eyes snapped open, but this time in shock. She looked sharply at Malfoy who was sitting across from her, against the opposite wall. Had he just AGREED with her? What was the world coming to? She was about to shake her head when a sphere of light appeared in midair.

"Granger?" Came a worried voice.

"I see it."

Hermione watched, mesmerised, as the ball came to rest on the floor exactly in the middle of the room. Then it disappeared, leaving in its place a scruffy old piece of parchment. Curious, she stood up and walked over.

"Don't touch it!" Ignoring him, Hermione picked it up. She sensed Malfoy creep up behind her and read it over her shoulder.

"_The Fates work in mysterious ways. Welcome to the Room of Want. You can only leave when you have completed your task."_

"Eh?"

'_How odd…'_ Hermione reread the parchment and absently handed it to Malfoy before beginning to pace. He glanced at it once more and then resumed his seat, following Hermione with his silvery eyes. She was mumbling to herself while she paced. Meanwhile, Draco's own mind was ticking away, trying to fit the pieces of this puzzle together. Then an idea occurred to him.

"Granger?" She stopped her pacing and looked at him. "Are you hungry?" After all, it was about dinner time. The train he was supposed to have been on left after lunch.

"Malfoy I don't see what–"

"What's your favourite food? I like freshly baked bread, hot out of the oven." Hermione nodded, looking at him oddly. Yeah, she was hungry, and some hot rolls would go down well at the moment but what had that got to do with ANYTHING? He reminded her of Ron… She noticed the smug look on his face. What now? Hermione scowled until she noticed what he was looking at: a small basket of steaming bread rolls.

"Oh." She smiled and Draco looked back at her, grinning. Then they realised what they were doing and stopped.

"So… this is the Room of Want then."

"Honestly Granger, how slow can one person be? Yes, this is the Room of Want; and from what I have just cleverly discovered, whatever we both seem to want - appears."

"Then why can't we get out," She argued.

"Seems to me that we have a task to complete first," He mumbled around the bread roll that was in his mouth. "Anyway, it's your turn. You can figure that one out."

Again she scowled at him, but he paid no attention as he ate. Finally she decided to join him. Something was missing… Ah yes. Warm butter and knives appeared next to the bread.

* * *

**A/N**

Review?


	4. Chapter Four

**The Room of Necessity**

**Disclaimer:** I am not a bunny and therefore own nothing. J. K. Rowling and her wonderful cast of characters are included in this list, much to my own chagrin. Well done to her for coming up with them though. Wish it'd been me… mumble mumble.

**Chapter Four**

"Ok, so what now?" Draco was lying on his back rubbing his flat stomach in small circles. Looking over he saw Granger lying on her side facing him, her head resting on her arm as a pillow. She looked almost asleep, but then she opened her dark eyes and he experienced the strangest jolting sensation. Blinking he looked at her again. God, she looked as tired as he felt, and so uncomfortable. He caught himself. Why did he care? He didn't! She was just a stupid mudblood. He scowled.

When Hermione heard him ask his question she was half asleep. Opening her eyes she was surprised to find herself gazing into soft blue ones. They closed for a second and she felt almost sad until they opened again and she smiled. Sighing, she turned onto her back and looked at the ceiling of their 'box'.

"I dunno Malfoy, but I'm tired. I'm going to have a nap."

As she said this, another very large sphere of light appeared in the middle of the room. Both Hermione and Draco sat up quickly and scooted backwards until they were up against a wall. The light settled and disappeared as it had before, but this time in its place stood a HUGE double bed with green and silver satin sheets. Malfoy's face immediately brightened at the sight of the Slytherin colours on a comfortable-looking bed and stood up.

"Thanks Granger."

"I wasn't thinking of one for you."

"Oh well." Malfoy collapsed onto it and lay spread eagled across the covers, smirking up at a scowling Hermione.

"What?"

"Move over then."

"WHAT! I'm not going to share _my_ bed with anyone, especially a mudblood." She climbed onto the bed anyway.

"You can go to sleep on the floor Malfoy." He spluttered in shock as she tried to shove him off of the bed. Springing into action he grabbed her wrists and pinned her to the bed, using his weight to hold her there.

"I suppose we could share if you _really_ wanted to..." What was he doing! NO! No way. This was GRANGER he had pinned beneath him. So what if she had a great body, was clever beyond what was natural and had these beautiful eyes he could lose himself in…

Hermione was looking at him in shock. Had she just heard what she thought she heard? She started to squirm, trying to get loose. He let go and rolled off of her. Yuck, gross. What the hell was he thinking?

Hermione sat up and noticed something.

"Er… Draco?"

"What?" Was the gruff reply.

She glanced at him. "Is it just me or have the walls closed in?" He sat up only to find that she was right, again. The Room of Want had just gotten smaller. Now there was no space around the bed at all. It was just a normal double bed with green satin sheets surrounded by four walls – if that could be considered normal. Draco sat staring at the walls in silence as Hermione next to him burst into tears, burying her head into one of the pillows. What was she going to do? She was in a bed with her worst enemy who was coming onto her and happened to be really sexy… STRONG! Really strong and there was no way out and… she was suddenly feeling really claustrophobic. Draco dragged his gaze until it rested on her slender form, trembling as she sobbed. He hated it when people cried – it was so like Pansy; but right now Hermione looked so scared and vulnerable and for some strange reason that made his heart break. He desperately wanted to do something but didn't know what. Awkwardly he scooted over until he sat next to her, and he tentatively placed a hand on her back in a shy attempt of comfort. Why was he even doing this! He hated the mudblood! But despite his mind's best efforts he didn't stop, continuing to attempt to soothe her, now rubbing her back in small circles. He was startled as Hermione sat up abruptly, angrily dashing her tears from her eyes and looked at him. She seemed to soften. Strange.

"What are we going to do?"

Draco sighed, "I suppose we have to finish the task."

"And what would that be?" Hermione asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Don't ask me Hermione, you're supposed to be the brainiac." She froze and gaped at him; had he just called her by her first name? Something was definitely wrong. Something was changing here. She could sense it. She grinned. Could something have changed with her too? Never. But she wasn't so repulsed by his presence… Now why could that be? She looked him over. If she wasn't mistaken, he had just tried to comfort her. She shifted onto her knees and shuffled even closer to him, trying to get a better look at his face, trying to guess what he was feeling. He was looking at her a little confused. Her gaze travelled over his body. He was mighty, mighty fit; she had to admit. Involuntarily she licked her lips; she then looked back into his eyes which no longer looked confused. There was something else… She gasped as she fell back onto the pillows with Draco on top of her, kissing her very gently on the lips.

He couldn't help it anymore. If it was ever going to happen, it was now. He didn't care. He watched as she slowly looked him up and down, licking her lips. _He _wanted to lick her lips! She looked back at him and he felt as if he was in a whirlpool. Without much more thought he launched himself, pushing her backwards onto the satin pillows and leaned forward, kissing her tenderly; smirking against her mouth as he heard her gasp. He wasn't sure what he was doing really, but when she snaked her arms up and around his neck – pulling him closer – he began to kiss more deeply. He licked her lips as he had thought impossible moments before. His hand began to wander downwards.

"Harry, where do you reckon Hermione is?"

"Dunno," Harry shrugged. "Probably in bed. She looked really tired when I saw her earlier." Ron nodded.

"Up for a game of Wizard's Chess?"

* * *

**A/N**

Hahaha! Cliffie! Will they? Will they not?...

I'll update loads faster if I get lots and lots of lovely reviews! (This applies for all my fics)


	5. Hmmm Chapter Five

**The Room of Necessity**

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing important except for love. Awww…..

**Chapter Five**

Hermione was lying on her stomach, topless. Her face was hidden in a mountain of pillows, her thick hair spread around her like a shimmering halo against the red silk and gold embroidered cushions. A soft light filled the small stone room, similar to the light produced by aromatic candles, and this made the flawless skin of Hermione's neck and back glimmer. Draco Malfoy was straddling her – wearing less than she was – and massaging her while she groaned.

"Oh Draco. You're a god…" She moaned as he leaned forward to work on a tension-knitted muscle between her shoulders.

"I know." He smirked, smooth lips curling to one side.

"Kiss me Draco! I can't bear to have you tease me any longer. I'm yours for the taking! Do what you will with my body, for you already have my heart and soul. Oh DRACO! Take me! Kiss me!" She flipped over and Draco grinned, flashing his straight, white teeth in a seductive smile. He leaned down to encase her in his arms as he slipped his tongue into her mouth, finally giving into her pleas. Their breathing became more and more rapid and ragged. Their kiss became more intense. Hermione's arms tightened around Draco's neck in desire as he slowly slid one hand downwards, trying to undo her belt…

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Harry jumped out of his bed and ripped away the hangings around Ron's bed, fear clutching his heart. In seconds he had shaken his friend awake and the screaming had ceased. Ron was now rocking on his bed, clutching his knees to his chest as he drew in shaky breaths; Harry patting his back and assuring him that everything was all right. Eventually Ron had calmed down enough to turn to Harry.

"What did you dream about Ron? Are you OK? You scared me worse than Dobby!" Ron smiled weakly at the joke.

"I saw something horrible Harry. Just… horrible." He shuddered, trying to shake the image out of his head. "I… I saw Hermione and… and… ick…I can't believe this… Malfoy." Harry's eyes widened. Ron looked up and held his gaze. "And they were doing something I don't ever want to watch someone else do." Harry gasped as he finally understood and looked at Ron with pity.

"Don't worry Ron, it was only a dream." Harry said, trying to reassure both of them. "We'll go and check on Hermione in the morning. Nothing could have happened. C'mon, this is 'Mione we're talking about! The day that she lets a Malfoy step within a foot of her other than to knock him senseless will be the day that she fails a test, other than in Potions." Ron smiled and nodded.

"It was just so… horrible." He shivered.

"Just don't think about it." Harry suggested. "Think about… food, or Snape in a dress or something. I'm going to bed. Everything will be fine in the morning. No worries."

Ron nodded again, grinning as he pictured Snape in a dress with a hamburger for a head.

"Don't worry Ron," he muttered to himself as he snuggled back down into his covers. "Hermione's a smart witch. She'd never let Malfoy kiss her. Never." His eyes closed as he drifted back off into sleep.

Meanwhile, Hermione had her arms wrapped around Draco's neck and his hand was wandering ever downwards…

* * *

**A/N**

I'm really sorry that this chapter is so short but I don't think I'm very good at writing long ones. And the cliffie remains! Ah well. At least I have the next 3 chappies planned out. And thank you soooo much to everyone who has reviewed! You've made me go on a permanent high and my friends are worrying. Hehehe... I checked if I had any reviews just before a Physics exam the other day and it made me sooo happy! Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!

PS

If I get more reviews then you'll get more chapters… hint hint… ;-)

BYE!


	6. A Slight Disagreement

**The Room of Necessity**

**Disclaimer**: I'm just taking 'em for a spin. Don't mind me. I don't own anything.

**Chapter Six**

'_Hmmm… yumyumyumyumyum…….. Argh! Hermione! What are you doing? What are you thinking! Do you realise who this is? And what he is trying to do! Do something! You must stop this!'_

Hermione was lying fully dressed on a green-swathed double bed. Draco Malfoy was gently cupping her face with one hand and kissing her softly. She had been really enjoying herself before she felt one of his hands reach down and start to fumble with her belt. WHAT! Then she realised a couple of other important somethings: like what he was thinking, and what he was planning on doing. Oh no. She had to stop this. Now. Her arms tightened around his neck as she stiffened; no response. She tried moaning; trying to catch his attention. The only reaction she got was a deepening of the kiss. She couldn't do this, she wasn't ready… she… she was on her period! AHHH! She really REALLY had to stop him. But what could she do? WHAT COULD SHE DO!

She did the only thing she could think of. She champed down. Hard. On his tongue. _That_ got a reaction.

Malfoy screamed in pain and shot off of Hermione, giving her space to breathe and move once more. He clamped his hand over his mouth and looked over at the girl he had been kissing a second ago with watery, pain-filled eyes.

Hermione sat up, feeling very guilty as she found a coppery taste lingering on her teeth.

"Draco, I – "He rapidly backed away until he felt the wall behind him. His face a mask of fear, he watched as Hermione shifted onto her knees and began to shuffle forward, her arms outstretched in a gesture of peace. Draco whimpered and tried to press himself further into the wall. Hermione sighed in exasperation.

"Bloody hell Malfoy, it was only a small bite. There was nothing else I could do! I couldn't breathe!" _That_ brought him back to reality.

"A SMALL BITE? Maybe – oh I don't know – for a DRAGON! What kind of monster are you Hermione? I thought wanted to kiss! You were all… you had a 'c'mon, kiss me Draco' look on your face."

"That wasn't my fault."

"Oh, Potter made you do it did he?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"Um…"

"Spit it out Granger." Hermione gulped.

"You're…Um…" Hermione gulped again. "Sexy?"

Draco smirked and she winced. Did she just say that? Did Hermione Granger just admit that Draco Malfoy was sexy? This wasn't her; it could only mean one thing. She turned away from Draco dissolved into tears, smothering her face with pillows once more.

What was happening now? What the hell was she crying about this time? Draco looked over and saw how Hermione's hair spread around her in a halo. She was quite pretty like that… Malfoy! Get a GRIP! She's a stupid mudblood who just BIT YOU. She's an animal. What your father said was true. Still, she was kinda cute… Draco sighed, resigning himself to the fact that he was going to comfort her, again, and continue to be nice to her until they were out of this psychotic hell-hole.

"Hermione?" He called tentatively from his position of safety. "Hermione? What's wrong?" She mumbled into the pillow.

"If I come over there will you promise not to bite me?" Hermione ignored him and continued to sob.

'_Bugger this.' _Draco scrambled over to where she was lying and asked again why she was crying; bending over her so that he could catch her reply.

"I'm possessed."

"You're… WHAT?"

"I'm possessed. It's the only explanation for why I admitted that you were sexy. I'm possessed."

"When you say 'admitted'…"

"Yes Draco, you are sexy and you know it full well, but that's no reason for me to go and say it! Argh!"

Hermione had decided enough was enough. Angrily she sat up, rubbing her eyes and then glanced at Draco, who was sitting there looking very confused.

"I'm going to sleep now." She stated.

"I'll keep you warm." He offered.

"You'll keep away from me."

"C'mon! I'm sexy, you're passable. We're cool!"

"Keep away or die."

"Granger, you are so stuck up your own ass."

"And you are such a pervert. Sleep on THAT side of the bed and I'll sleep here." While speaking, Hermione had constructed a dividing wall of pillows and scooted over to the far side of the room/bed from Draco, pointing to emphasis the difference of sleeping arrangements. She wrapped herself in her cloak and lightly grasped her wand in the hand as she slid under the duvet, her back towards him, and lay down finally ready for sleep.

"Fine. Be that way you pathetic little mudblood."

"There are reasons Malfoy."

"Whatever."

Grumpy, Draco imitated Herimone but on the far side of the bed, disbelieving that he was sharing a bed with a hot girl and not getting any. He was a Malfoy! He thought in indignation. What was happening here? He glared at the stone wall he was now facing, thinking of ways to get his own back.

There were a few minutes of silence during which Draco's breathing evened and slowed.

"Sorry Draco." Hermione muttered, her eyes closed, thinking that he was asleep.

Draco smirked into his pillow.

"Sleep well Granger." He whispered back, but she didn't hear. She was already in dreamland.

She dreamt about bunnies.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

Hermione opened her eyes and looked towards the window, to find there was none. Curious she sat up and sleepily looked around the room. No windows, no doors. The double bed that she was sitting in was in one corner, a toilet with no screen in another. She blinked, rubbing her eyes. What were all those white things hopping around? What the hell were rabbits doing in her bedroom! And why was there a warm lump not too far away from her! She gasped as she recognised Malfoy and the events of the night before came crashing back. At least the room had expanded, but really! Hermione's mouth set itself into a grim line as she double checked that she still had her wand and pushed back the duvet so that she could climb out of bed. Then her mouth opened in shock as her eyes boggled. Why was she only wearing her underwear? Where had all her clothes gone?

"Malfoy…" She said warningly.

"Huh?" Draco groggily lifted his head away from the pillow, a line of drool running down his chin.

"Prepare to die."

* * *

**A/N**

Slightly longer this time. Hope you all enjoyed it! And again thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed. Please continue. wink wink

ALSO: Miraen, I love you forever for beta-ing me at a moment's notice with helpful and constructive comments. Do ya hear me! I LOVE YOU for everything you have done. Cheers mate.


	7. Searches, bunnies and other things

**The Room of Necessity**

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Rowling, you'd be impressed. But I own nothing, so don't be stressed!

I know, that was sad, wasn't it? Oh well, at least you know I own nothing except for the plot.

**Chapter Seven**

**Earlier that day:**

"What do mean she's not here!" Lavender placed a reassuring hand on Ron's arm.

"It's really nothing to worry about."

"But you're sure that she didn't sleep here last night." That was Harry. As soon as morning had come, both boys had gone and sat in front of the entrance to the girls' dorms in the hopes that Hermione would come out. Instead, the first female they had met was Lavender Brown, and after pouncing on her they had discovered some distressing news. She had seen no sign of Hermione, whose bed had remained unslept-in all night.

"Don't worry guys; she probably fell asleep in the library or something." Seeing Harry and Ron looking unsure, she hooked both of her arms through theirs and began to lead them towards the portrait hole.

"C'mon you two, lets have some breakfast and if she isn't there and didn't sleep in Ginny's room, then we can go on a search." At the mention of food Ron perked up a bit and hopped out of the common room through the portrait hole, followed closely by Lavender. Harry lingered, sweeping the common room with his eyes once more before leaving.

**10 minutes later:**

In the great hall, Ron was choking and being whacked on the back by Harry, who was apologising fervently. When Ginny had finally entered for breakfast, Harry had jumped up to greet her and had knocked Ron who – as always – had put too much food into his mouth and had begun to choke on his Cheerios.

"Here." Swiftly Ginny had come to the rescue by filling a glass with pumpkin juice and putting it into Ron's hand. Eventually she even had to help him drink it.

As his coughs subsided he turned to glare at Harry, but out of the corner of his eye he spotted some pain au chocolat, so settled for eating that instead. Meanwhile, Harry had turned to Ginny in earnest.

"Gin, have you seen 'Mione recently?"

"Not since yesterday, why?"

"Well, Ron had a… nightmare about her last night and we were looking for her. According to Lav," Harry nodded his head further down the table to where Lavender was sitting with some friends. "Hermione didn't go back to her room last night and we were hoping she'd stayed with you."

At first Ginny's eyes widened with worry but a moment later they were twinkling with mischief, her eyebrows raised and a smirk plastered over her face.

"What kind of dream did you say you had Ron?"

Ron gulped down his mouthful and shook his head violently.

"Nightmare. Nightmare. Nightmare. It was definitely a nightmare." He corrected, now nodding. "It was… horrible." His ears turned a shade of pink in embarrassment of the memory and he looked to Harry for help. Harry was busy staring open-mouthed at Ginny. She noticed his attention.

"What?"

"It was DEFINITELY a nightmare and is DEFINITELY not true. Understood?"

"Whatever you say Harry. I'm off now. Don't go searching in any bedrooms…"

"GINNY!" Ron shrieked after her as she walked at a leisurely pace away and down the Gryffindor table to some of her friends. Harry sat down on the bench with a soft thump.

"You done yet Ron?"

"Just a minute." Harry sighed again. Then froze.

"Ron…" He began cautiously.

"Hmmm?" Ron had stuffed a whole croissant into his mouth.

"Where's Malfoy?"

Ron began to choke.

HP

After cornering and threatening Pansy, Ron and Harry had found to their utter and absolute dismay that she had not seen Malfoy. Not since yesterday.

'_Uh oh'._

As one Ron and Harry had dashed off, sprinting through the corridors of Hogwarts on a search for their dear, endangered friend; closely followed by the haunting, terrifying memory of: _The Dream_.

"HERMIONE!"

**30 seconds later:**

Ron was hunched over against a wall, gasping for air. Harry was doubled over in pain, clutching a stitch.

"Harry… C – can't _gasp_ go on. Must… rest. This is never _gasp_ going to work."

"I _gasp_ know what you mean _gasp_. Must _gasp_ find another way. _Gasp_." Their breathing began to return to normal and Ron was struck by an idea.

"Map."

"Map?"

"Map." Ron, bobbed his head, emphasising his point.

"Oh, map." Harry nodded to show his understanding as he got out his wand. "ACCIO MARAUDERS MAP!"

As the map flew into Harry's hand, both boys collapsed onto the floor in fatigue. After a few seconds: "I do solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Could be heard, then silence as they pored over the tiny moving dots. After a while Ron looked up with a sombre expression.

"They're not on here Harry."

* * *

**Earlier that morning:**

"What do you mean you don't know where my clothes are! You are SUCH a little –" Hermione tightened her grip on Draco's neck "– lying –" She shook him violently "– BRAT!" Malfoy croaked in reply, desperately clawing at the hands which were fastened around his neck, his eyes rolling like a frightened horse. He inhaled a haggard breath as she threw him away from her and covered herself once more with the duvet, trying to maintain _some_ dignity.

"You raving – I did NOTHING with your clothes you stupid… Why are there rabbits on the floor?" Draco asked suddenly.

"I dunno. Give me back my clothes."

"I don't have them."

"Well they didn't disappear by themselves."

"Well I don't have them."

"Liar."

"Mudblood."

"Will you stop calling me that?"

"What? Mudblood? But you are."

"And you are a ferret-faced lying piece of scummy dragon dung that has attached itself to the bottom of my shoe, but I don't go on about it."

Draco's mouth flapped open like a fish, his pale skin flushed with humiliation and fury.

"How dare you."

"Stop calling me a mudblood and give me back my clothes."

"I don't have your filthy clothes. Like I'd touch something you'd touched."

"You kissed me last night easily enough."

"_I _kissed _you_! THAT'S a laugh…"

"You did."

"You bit me."

"Don't change the subject."

"Why are there rabbits hopping around?"

Hermione looked around, surveying the fluffy white hopping puff-balls.

"How odd…" she mused aloud.

"What." Hermione was very quickly getting on Draco's nerves, despite her body.

"I had a dream about bunnies last night." Expecting a cutting remark, Hermione looked at Draco in surprise when she was met with only silence. Draco was staring at her bra-clad breasts in deep thought. She gasped as she realised that the duvet had slipped while they had been arguing.

"Draco!" She grabbed the duvet from where it had fallen in her lap and held it up to her neck. Draco looked up and caught her eye. God, his eyes were so silver… NO! He was a perv.

"I was thinking Hermione. You dreamt about rabbits. I dreamt about… something a bit closer to home, if you get my drift…" He looked pointedly back to where her breasts had been.

"DRACO! Eyes up here… oh."

"Bingo. Whatever we both want appears. It seems that our dreams are somewhat stronger, in the sense that only one of us has to want it at the time."

Hermione contemplated this for a moment, but there was a more pressing need.

"Wish me some clothes." Draco looked up, startled. Why would he want to go and do a thing like that? Uh oh, she was giving him the evil eye again; he'd better do it…

"Thank you Draco! I love you! Oh, it's so soft." Hermione had whipped back the duvet and stepped onto the floor, giving a little twirl but being mindful of the rabbits. She was wearing a long, silk, burgundy, (figure-hugging – Draco smirked to notice) dress (with a lowish cut) that really, really suited her. Hermione was delighted. She jumped back onto the bed, gave Draco a quick thank you peck on the cheek and bounced off again to resume her twirling. Draco was gob-smacked. What had… oh, never mind. He'd never understand her. He continued to sit and grin at her obvious delight. Her thick soft hair was loose and gently framed her face as she turned to Draco again. She was so beautiful…

"Draco." She repeated.

"Huh?" He had zoned out.

"I need the toilet."

"Go then. Why are you telling me?" Then he realised. There was no screen. Heehee. She scowled at him in expectance and he inwardly sighed, turning himself around to face the wall. When he heard no movement, he looked back at her to see her wringing her hands and looking at him with a very nervous expression. Draco was immediately worried and jumped out of the bed, coming to stand directly in front of her and grasping her hands in his own strong ones. It was distracting when people fidgeted. She didn't pull away.

"Hermione?" His husky voice was laced with concern. She looked away, unable to meet his gaze. "Hermione, what's wrong?"

"You're gonna hate me."

"That's not hard." She glanced at him and looked away, blinking quickly. He realised what he'd said. NOT FUNNY DRACO! Idiot. He tried to dig himself out of the hole. "Just joking 'Mione. I couldn't hate you even if I tried." Ok, that was a bit much, but right now he felt as if it was true. He gave her hands a slight squeeze to show his sincerity, but didn't let go.

"Well, I need you to wish a couple more things for me."

"Whatever you want." She looked into his eyes and her resolution stiffened.

"Well, first a screen," She nodded her head towards the privacy-deprived toilet in the corner. Seeing him about to interrupt she hurried on. "ALSO, I'm, well, you know I've been having these slight mood swings..." He smirked in amusement. Slight is not how HE'd put it… "Well, I'm er, I'monmyperiodandIneedyoutowishmesometampons."

He dropped her hands and took a step away. "Eew! NO! No way am I even VISUALISING those things. NO WAY!"

"Please Draco. I need this. You were so sweet a minute ago. If you could only swallow your pride for just one second…"

"No, I have some self-respect thank you very much."

"I HATE YOU, YOU FILTHY PIECE OF PIG BLADDER!"

'Talk about mood swings,' he muttered under his breath as he kept as far away from Hermione as possible, struggling not to step on any of the stupid rabbits that were scattered across the floor. Why rabbits? They were limiting his manoeuvrability and slowing his escape. Snakes were WAY better.

Something unexpected happened and he was surprised yet again however, for Hermione's anger dissolved as she flopped down onto the bed instead of advancing, and she resorted to pleading.

"Please Draco, I REALLY need this. It's quite important. Unless you want me to leak everywhere…"

"STOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOP!" Draco was covering his ears with his hands, trying to block out what Hermione was saying. "Stop! Please stop! I'll do anything!" Draco almost threw himself to his knees in desperation. He was going to be sick. Never was he going to touch a girl again.

He missed the evil, triumphant upward-curl of the lips that flashed across Hermione's face.

"Ok, this is what it looks like..."

HP

Draco had his head in his hands, almost sobbing as the box of whatever it was that Hermione had needed appeared. He had lost his most prized possession in the most ghastly way. He had lost his pride to a girl and her nagging. He couldn't live. He turned his back to Hermione and faced a wall, staring blankly at the stone. What had he done to deserve this?

He continued to sit there with glazed eyes, not noticing the ball of light that appeared just behind him, leaving behind a small scrap of parchment.

* * *

**A/N**

Ok, I think that that chapter might have been _slightly_ longer…

As always, thanks to my wonderful beta reader: Miraen.

**Siriuscherry** I was unaware that Draco was gay, but it has been a while since I have read the books and if you could tell me where Rowling suggests it I would be delighted to adjust this fanfiction accordingly. _I had to leave this one in._

**Schermionie** You are correct in that assumption, I think… hehehe. Yeah, you're right. My writing is very spontaneous so I'm not 100 percent sure where this is going. Though, when I first started this fic I was thinking of something on the lines of the Room of Requirement… It's kinda like it really, but it's controlled by the Fates instead of Hogwarts or goodness knows what. And the Fates want them to complete a task… hmmm… I wonder what that could be… I know! But you and everyone else won't unless you REVIEW! Mwahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaa! I love being evil.

I'm attempting to re-read the 'Chamber of Secrets' in French at the mo (it's not going very well), but did you know that Hogwarts in French is called 'Poudlard'? And I think that Snape is known as 'Rogue' but I'm not entirely sure… And Draco Malfoy you ask? 'Drago Malefoy". Heh. Malefoy, good name.

**And finally** thank you to all my reviewers. You are my chocolate.

OK, that is the end of a REALLY long authors note. Now press the button in the little corner that says Go. Go on. Really. It's ok.


	8. Revelations and realisations

**The Room of Necessity**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the wonderful Rowling, Harry Potter, his adventures or his minions.

Lemon drops are not included among my few possessions. However, there are a lot of books.

**Chapter Eight**

Hermione was eyeing Draco from behind. He was slouching cross-legged, his face not very far from the stone wall which also seemed to have put him into a trance. He was rocking gently, his mouth moving with silent words. If she hadn't known better, she could have sworn that he had lapsed into a state of shock. Ruefully Hermione shook her head and went about her business as quickly as possible. Just as she was finishing something caught her eye, and turning to get a better look she watched as the glowing ball of light appeared and disappeared, leaving in its place a small scrap of parchment. Hastily (but minding the cursed rabbits that littered the floor) she made her way over so that she was standing directly behind Draco and looked at the parchment curiously.

"Draco?"

No response from the comatose being.

"Draco!"

"Hmmm?" A voice that would do Trelawnley proud.

"DRACO!" She rapped him hard on the head with her knuckles.

"Ouch! Yeah? Whadyawant?"

She pointed to her feet and, scowling, Draco looked down at the piece of parchment.

'_Mr Draco Lucius Malfoy'_

He gulped and looked back up at Hermione, who was now crouching eye-level with him.

"What does it mean?"

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Well _obviously_ it means that if you touch it you'll die."

Startled, Hermione tried to shift backwards abruptly - away from the 'evil' parchment and consequently lost her balance, landing on a rabbit which gave a sharp squeal before attacking her.

"These damn, bloody… ah." In the midst of flinging off the rabbit, _all_ the hopping white fluff balls disappeared. "Thanks Draco."

"Anytime… gorgeous." While Hermione rolled her eyes, he reached forwards, grabbed the parchment and – heaving an inward sigh of relief that he wasn't dead – began to unfold and read it. Hermione watched him anxiously.

'_Stage One, complete.'_

"Hmmm…"

"Draco? What is it? What does it say?"

"Well, it says that I am King and that you must do whatever I say 'if you ever want to see the light of day again. Mwahaha.' Strange…"

"Seriously, Draco." Hermione warned with infinite patience.

"I am serious." He declared. "Honestly Hermione, I think that you should trust me a little moreAH!" The parchment – held loosely in his left hand – had burst into hot yellow flames. Instinctively Draco threw it away from him as far as possible, but unintentionally ended up throwing it at…

"AHHH! Draco you _bastard_!"

…Hermione.

Yet the ever alert Hermione quickly whipped out her wand, pointed it at her fiery self and muttered a spell, creating a jet of water to douse the flames.

"DRACO LUCIUS MALFOY I AM GONNA KIIIIIIIIIIIILLLL…" He dodged her wrath and slipped through the feeling hands that tried to fasten around his neck.

"Hermione, get a grip! Your… YOUR CLOTHES!"

"Wish me some dry, whole ones right now and I will delay your death."

"Yes Miss Granger…" Was the chanted, primary school-like reply.

"Better." Hermione flounced over to the bed and elegantly seated her posterior, fingering the heavy velvet of her new midnight blue floor-length dress (with much the same cut, much to Draco's enjoyment). Draco noted absently how well she would look on the arm of a rich man…

"Now Draco, what did the parchment say?" Draco shook his head to clear his mind. She raised her wand threateningly.

"Stage One, complete." Narrowing her eyes, Hermione decided that he was being truthful.

"Is that it?" He nodded sorrowfully from his position on the floor. She voiced her wonderings. "Then why was it addressed to you?… Ah."

"What?"

"It was probably you who completed stage one of our task. But what did you do? Hmmm… Tricky one." Draco supplied her instantly.

"I sacrificed everything that I hold dear. My dignity, namely."

"You can't be serious. Just because you wished me a box of tampons? Get outta here." She waved a dismissive hand.

"I'm serious Hermione. I'm a dead man when I get out of here. I've lost my dignity, my pride, my self confidence… All I am is a Dementor-kissed husk."

Hermione looked sharply at him with immediate dislike. After her and Harry's trying experience with Dementors, no one could make light of them around her without being on the receiving end of severe disapproval. Yet, bare seconds after Draco came in contact with that scathing glare and realised his grievous mistake he had the grace to look down, a little colour tingeing his soft pale cheeks. Feeling he had been admonished sufficiently, Hermione averted her gaze to watch his idle fingers fiddling with the hem of his robe. It made him appear a distracted entity, the way his fingers were always fiddling with things, or tapping out rhythms on the desk in Potions. But now she knew better. Oh yes, Hermione knew better, as she watched his graceful fingers. There was one heck of a focused brain in that well-formed body of his. Oh yes. Hermione knew better.

"So what do _you_ hold dear?" Draco asked with interest. Hermione snapped her eyes up to his face once more, trying to grasp the meaning of this question which had snatched her so rudely from her musings. She hurried to make a reply, hoping he hadn't noticed her hesitation.

"Oh, lots of things." She tried to sound casual. "Love, life, friendship, the weather…" Draco's eyebrows shot up into his forehead and the corner of his mouth twitched.

"The weather?" She winced.

"No. Yes. Um…"

"The weather?" Draco teased coolly.

"Draco, d'you want some breakfast? I'm really hungry."

She hoped her ploy would be successful.

Draco looked taken aback for a moment but quickly regained his composure.

"Hermione," He said, tutting. "Don't try to change…" He trailed off. She was smirking. Why was she smirking? Since when did Gryffindors _smirk_? She wasn't even looking at him! What was going ON here? Hermione stood up and started across the room, and like a bucket of ice water realisation burst upon him. Spread across the floor of their 'box' was a feast. It was exactly as he had pictured it when that rascal had surprised him. Sweeeet.

Grinning with genuine pleasure, both set about the immense task of devouring the piles of food so neatly laid before them.

* * *

"Yes Professor, exactly what we said. We haven't seen her since yesterday."

"And we're getting really worried." Said Ron, reaching for yet another lemon drop.

Professor Dumbledore stroked his long silver beard in contemplation, his elbows resting lightly on his desk. Opposite him sat two boys. The one with shining green eyes and black hair (of whom he was particularly fond) had just finished explaining the situation and was sitting on the edge of his seat, gazing at Dumbledore intently and yet completely at ease. The boy's red-headed friend sat on a chair next to him, and although he also sat on the edge of his seat, his attitude couldn't have been more different. He was not as relaxed in the presence of his Headmaster, but he seemed captivated by all the shiny, spindly, silver objects scattered around the room and he looked at each one wonderingly while absently sucking on his thirteenth lemon drop. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.

"And you've checked the Marauder's Map? Don't look so surprised Mr Weasley, I know about it." Ron certainly didn't look lost anymore. Dumbledore's mouth twitched behind his beard. Harry's smile was brief when he saw Ron's reaction, his lips quickly reforming into a tense worried line as he nodded his head in reply to Dumbledore.

"And that's why we're so worried. According to the map, they're not in Hogwarts at all and Hermione wouldn't go off without telling anyone. I doubt she'd go off at all really." Ron nodded as he reached for another lemon drop.

Dumbledore reached up and stroked his beard once more, his eyes resting on the worried friends in front of him, beseeching his wisdom in matters which were out of his control. Fawkes the golden phoenix trilled softly from the corner in which stood her golden perch, and as the boys watched Dumbledore nodded his head slowly, slowly, as if agreeing with some suggestion made by the phoenix and considering its implications. As if in slow motion he pushed his slipping half-moon glasses back up his hooked nose and opened his mouth to speak. The silence deepened in anticipation of a solution to all of their problems.

"We shall have to wait."

"Huh?" Ron was surprised enough to blurt out while Harry did a double take of the old Headmaster.

"It is obvious to me that they have not left Hogwarts, and yet they are not in Hogwarts. I have a nasty feeling that the Room of Necessity has taken them."

"The Room of _what_?"

"What do you mean by 'nasty' feeling?"

"_Taken_?"

Dumbledore smiled and it was with relief that Harry saw his eyes twinkle more furiously than ever. He sat back in his chair, awaiting an explanation. Ron leaned forward and grabbed another lemon drop.

Dumbledore looked piercingly at each in turn before beginning.

"The Room of Necessity, Mr Weasley, is a room in Hogwarts that is not governed by mere mortals, but rather by Need and some, Mr Potter, say Fate herself. It has obviously been decided by someone 'upstairs' – so to speak – that Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy are in need of being locked into a room together for an extended period of time." He smiled unashamedly at the twin looks of terror that flashed across his students' faces. "Have no fear gentlemen, they will be well provided for by the Room."

"When will she be out Professor?" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.

"When the need that brought them there is no more. The Room has a most interesting form of magic which enables it to change from Need to Need. I daresay we can expect great things and many changes in Mr Malfoy and Miss Granger, when the time comes."

"Does this happen – er – often?" Dumbledore smile broadened.

"This actually happens very rarely. All I can do is assure you that they are safe and may be in there for a while. So do NOT worry about them. If Mr Malfoy and Miss Granger are not released by the end of Christmas break, you will be returning to classes as normal."

Harry and Ron gulped and cast each other worried looks. End of Christmas? That long? They'd have to do their homework themselves… Bugger.

"If you learn anything more, gentlemen, please let me know. I am quite certain that they are in the Room of Necessity, and that they are safe. You could say… that Fate is an old friend of mine." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled with mirth as the boys eyed him with curiosity and wonder as they rose from their seats, recognising a dismissal when they heard one yet bursting with questions.

They had reached the door when Dumbledore called them back.

"Mr Potter, Mr Weasley." They turned to look at their twinkling professor with his glimmering beard and self-filling bowl of lemon drops; a majestic Fawkes perched close at hand.

"Merry Christmas." They smiled.

"You too Professor".

HPHPHP

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he heard the revolving staircase click-clack clicking away, carrying the two boys to the hallway below. Stiffly, the old wizard levered himself out of his chair, Fawkes trilling a soft encouragement.

"Bah." Dumbledore said to her. He wasn't that old! Bending, he opened a small cupboard to the right of his desk and pulled out a shallow stone bowl with foreign lettering all around the rim. A strange, silvery liquid mist floated in it. He carefully placed his pensieve on the table and heavily sat down again, pulling his wand from his sleeve. Almost absently he prodded the mist until it resembled a mini whirlpool. Then suddenly he plunged his face into it as if he were going into a dive, his beard hanging limply off of the table while the portraits covering the walls slept and Fawkes preened, never taking her eye off of him.

Dumbledore found himself walking along a brightly lit corridor in Hogwarts, following a much younger version of himself. He watched as his younger self heard a gaggle of noisy students approaching from both ends of the corridor and looked desperately around for a means of quick escape. He watched with detached interest as his younger self spotted a door off to the side and wrenched it open. He dogged his younger self closely as he ran into the room, locked the door and leaned against it, listening for the stampede to pass. He watched himself as he struggled with the door that would not open again and in panic look around the room; its huge walls covered by books, its floor covered with cushions and squishy armchairs and curiously – a bowl of yellow things. Dumbledore watched in amusement as his younger self wondered aloud where he was and stared open-mouthed as a ball of light appeared from midair and settled on an armchair, leaving behind a small scrap of parchment. He read the parchment unnecessarily over the shoulder of his younger self; he knew every word by heart.

'_Welcome to the Room of Reading. Those are lemon drops. Help yourself.'_

With a smile Dumbledore heaved his face out of the pensieve and looked around, finding himself once again in his office, sitting at his desk, his eyes twinkling more than ever.


	9. If I was a room

**The Room of Necessity**

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Shakespeare, Tolkein, Stephen Hawking, or – believe it or not – Harry Potter. There. Done it. Happy now? Grrr…

**Chapter Nine**

"Really?"

Draco and Hermione had moved back onto the bed, their stomachs happily full. Draco was lying comfortably on his back with his head on his hands while Hermione was sitting leaning against a wall, looking at him with incredulity.

"Why so surprised Granger?"

Hermione shook her head in disbelief.

"I just can't believe that you – Mr Pureblood I-hate-all-muggles Malfoy – have read books by muggle authors. What have you read?"

"Only what I could understand," He replied humbly. "Some Shakespeare, Tolkein, Stephen Hawking…" He raised an eyebrow at Hermione's obvious show of disbelief. "I'm not an idiot Granger, no need to look so shocked."

Hermione's mouth closed with a snap as she lowered her eyelids in humility. She attempted to make amends.

"I just hadn't realised what an all-rounded intellectual you are Malfoy."

"You should have; I am, after all, the one who has solved all the riddles of this room so far… Admit it Hermione," He said softly, confidentially, raising his head onto an elbow. "I'm smarter than you."

"What? No." Violently she shook her head. Draco dragged himself into a sitting position to better see her face.

"Go on, admit it. You know it's true."

"No it's not."

"Yes it is."

"No it's not."

"Yes it is."

"I'm not arguing with you Draco."

"Then admit to the truth in your heart."

"No."

"So you recognise that it's the truth?"

"No."

"Liar."

"So?"

"Hermione…" Draco drawled, catching her attention. "Admit it."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

* * *

**Thirty minutes later: **

"No."

"Yes."

"FINE!"

"Really?"

"No."

"Listen Hermione." Draco leaned forward beseechingly, loosely clasping her hands in his. She glanced at their interlocking fingers before looking again into his piercing blue eyes and raising an eyebrow. "I figured out how to get the stuff that we want. I figured out about how our dreams seem to be more powerful. I'm a prefect. I'm second best in the year overall and would easily be top if I was nearly half as obsessive as you. I'm top without even working too hard. You're psychotic. Face the truth Granger. I'm smarter than you. Admit it. What have you got to lose?"

"My reputation." She mumbled, very quietly. Draco's eyes gleamed as his hands tightened around hers.

"Admit it."

"No."

"Do it Hermione. Admit to the truth in your heart."

"Fine!" Hermione snatched back her hands away from his and closed her eyes in resignation. "Draco Malfoy," She said in a voice barely above a whisper. "You are smarter than me."

"Excellent." Startled at the creepy voice Hermione glanced up into his eyes once more and was shocked at the maniacal look they held. What…? Oh.

Yet another ball of light had appeared and once again a small piece of parchment was left behind, only this time it was addressed to a _'Miss Hermione Elizabeth Granger'_.

"Let me guess: 'Stage Two, complete'?"

"You gotcha." Confirmed Hermione, reading the note twice before throwing it onto the floor were it harmlessly disintegrated into ash.

"You planned this." She accused, turning to him warily.

"No my darling, I just figured it out part way through. I am, after all, smarter than you."

"Malfoy if you dare- Wait, did you just call me 'darling'?"

"No." He said quickly. Too quickly.

Hermione smirked in her oh-so-unGryffindor way that Draco loved.

"If you say so…"

* * *

"If I was a secret, moveable, magical room, where would I be?"

"Between four walls?"

"C'mon Harry! You're not doing this right. It's for Hermione remember?"

"Right…" Harry mesmerised eyes followed Ginny as she crossed the common room to her dorm. He shook himself and returned his attention to Ron who was looking at him with exasperation. "Right… no. No! No Ron, Dumbledore said that there is nothing we can do about it."

"We can at least be waiting at the destination for her when she comes out. Who knows, Malfoy might have injured her or something…" Ron shuddered while Harry's skin darkened a shade.

"If he has touched her with so much as a barge pole, I will skin him alive," Harry turned to stare angrily into the fire, its light reflecting menacingly in his emerald eyes. "But he wouldn't dare."

"Yeah!" Ron nodded in vigorous agreement. "Especially if he knows that we're just on the other side of the door." He flexed the muscles in one arm and out of the corner of his eye looked to see if the group of girls sharing the common room with them had noticed. Harry shook his head, trying to hide a sad smile. He honestly didn't think that Malfoy was too scared of Ron, however much he wanted to. But what he _did_ know was that if Malfoy did ANYTHING to Hermione, when they got out of that Room there'd be hell to pay for.

* * *

That night, Hermione tossed and turned in the throes of a nightmare. She dreamed of monsters. Dark creatures with hellish teeth and long razor-like talons, almost impervious to magic.

Neither she nor Draco saw the dark form materialise in the corner of their room, its foul breath misting in the air before it even as it looked around and located the green satin bed, its occupants lying prone.

* * *

**A/N**

For the names (Draco Lucius Malfoy and Hermione Elizabeth Granger) I don't know if they are right or not. I couldn't find their full names in the books and I read this as their full names in another fic, and they sounded realistic so I adopted them. Thanks to whosever fic it was.


	10. Imagined Reality

**The Room of Necessity**

**Disclaimer**: Zip-a-dee-doo-da! Zip-a-dee-day! My oh my Harry Potter's away. Plenty of sunshine, coming my way. Zip-a-dee-doo-da I own Harry? No way!

Translation: I do not own Harry Potter.

**Chapter Ten**

Draco woke with a start. Something was wrong. Something was different. Something had… changed. Cautiously he opened one eye and looked at Hermione who lay asleep next to him. She was tense and pale, beads of sweat were stark on her forehead. Her fists were clenched and she was in the throes of a nightmare. He could tell by the way she frantically tossed her head on the pillow.

He was about to reach out a hand to wake and release her from her nightmare when something else caught his attention. Something… evil. Draco lay stock still, but listened to the heavy, rasping breathing and the slow, shuffling, approaching footsteps. It was close.

He snapped open his eyes and his vision was filled with knives. Long, sharp talons hovering above his face and coming steadily, stealthily closer. He did the only thing he could. He screamed.

Hermione was torn from one nightmare and thrown into another.

At Draco's scream the Monster sprang instantly into action, bringing its talons down in one fatal swipe. Draco rolled to the side just in time to avoid it, but Hermione was not so lucky. One talon caught her on her leg and was dragged down, ripping a great bleeding gash from her thigh to knee.

Now it was Hermione's turn to scream.

Draco was shocked out of the stupor he had elapsed into, seeing the knives catch flesh and muscle, and rip it like tissue paper. He leaped onto the Monster's back and it thrashed and screeched in awesome rage even as Hermione lay motionless on the bed.

Draco had time for just one look at Hermione's body before his vision was filled once more with flashing knives, and all he could hear was unearthly shrieking. He held tighter onto the Monster's neck – for dear life. His wand lay forgotten. Hermione lay dead. There was nothing he could do. Tears found their way from his eyes, even as the Monster slackened and stopped resisting Draco's hold around its thick-skinned neck. Draco collapsed to the floor with it, on top of it. But he didn't move, he didn't loosen his hold. He didn't want to get up. He didn't want to see Hermione lying there, pale and cold, surrounded by her own blood. He didn't want…

"Help me."

* * *

**A/N**

Ok, ok! I know that chapter was really short, but it was either that or nothing – I've been really busy. And that cliff-hanger was just too good to miss.

Just to clear up a few things:

Draco and Hermione have NOT had sex. She is still wearing her lovely long dress. All they did was chat throughout the day (what else are they gonna do?) and then went to sleep, unknowing and unsuspecting of what was to come...I hopefully made clear earlier that dreams have more 'power' - as such - than Wants, so only one person needs to dream it for it to come true.

**Steelo** – No love is being confessed! (lol). They are just two people who are stuck in a room together and all they have for company is each other. I believe that people are a lot more trusting and feel a lot closer to each other when they are in close quarters for an extended period of time. (Like when you do a play, at the end everyone is really great friends, even if it did only take two weeks to put on… Believe me, I've done it.) So far they have only discovered a different side to their enemy and learned a little about themselves (e.g. that they are mutually attracted to each other…)

Now listen up, because I need you to review to tell me what you think so far and to tell me how I can improve my writing. All comments are appreciated, as long as they aren't too mean!

_For people who are reading this for the first time, I left it here for over a week. Thought you might like to know…_


	11. Hermione, dead or alive?

**The Room of Necessity**

**Disclaimer**: My invisible friend has just informed me that I do not own Harry Potter, and I am forced to admit that Toto is right on this one: I don't. The plot, however…

**_Last Time:_**

_Draco didn't want to get up. He didn't want to see Hermione lying there, dead._

"_Help me."_

**Chapter Eleven**

Draco's mouth went dry. He could still hear her. But his Hermione was dead. Was gone. He'd seen it with his own hated eyes. He got up roughly, kicking the Monster as it lay unmoving on the floor, and it disintegrated in a cloud of dust. Draco screamed and his shoulders slumped in defeat. The Room had brought the Monster and had taken it away. He hadn't even had the satisfaction of hearing it scream…

"Draco." He closed his eyes as more tears leaked. Why was he still hearing her voice? She was gone. Angrily he brushed the tears from his eyes. Malfoy's didn't cry! It was over. It was done. He might as well accept it. Slowly, reluctantly, he turned to face the bed.

"Hermione!"

"Help…" Hermione's voice weakened and died as her head collapsed back onto the pillows, her hands bloody from trying to press them against her wound. Without a thought Draco put his hands against her leg, holding the skin together as best he could even as Hermione writhed in agony beneath his gentle touch. He had to bandage he leg. Now. He had to stop the bleeding.

"Imagine bandages Hermione. Picture a pile of bandages."

No response. She had stopped moving again.

"HERMIONE!" He screamed. Not again. Nonono… Not again. He couldn't. He couldn't! He wanted to shake her, but his hands wouldn't move. Then she blinked open her glazed eyes and stared at him uncomprehending, and he exhaled – he could breathe again.

"Sweetheart, imagine bandages Hermione. Please Hermione, imagine bandages. Don't sleep. Keep away from the light. Don't die. Please Hermione don't die. Imagine bandages." He was crying still. Hermione was real, and he wanted her to live. Madly, he wanted her to live. He knew she was not lucid but if he was gentle maybe he could get through… He watched as Hermione blinked her eyes once more, and a pile of bandages appeared. Draco looked down at his hands and watched in horror as blood seeped between his fingers. He had to slow the bleeding. Being unconscious wouldn't do it. Bandages might not help at all – she was losing too much blood. An idea struck him and he looked quickly at Hermione's face.

She was lying, watching him with a curious detachment. Almost like a child - interested in some morbid affair but not really understanding its seriousness. Just curious about what would happen next.

HPHPHP

Hermione's mind was sluggish but still ticking. She knew what had to be done, but she just could not bring herself to do anything active. She was in another world. She had no control over muscles or words. She could only watch with her ever-darkening vision. It was getting so dark… She was distracted as she had to battle another wave of pain. When it had passed, the sane part of her brain came once more out of hiding. To her surprise she found herself idly watching Draco. Then he turned to look at her and their eyes locked, and she read… no. She _felt_ a question in those silver depths. Uncertainty, worry, fear. Slowly she understood. He had an idea. Painfully she forced her mouth to move.

"I trust you."

Hermione closed her eyes once more and relaxed. She felt… lighter. Her pain had dimmed. She was almost happy. She did not see Draco's eyes widen, or the solid resolve that formed behind them. Nor did she see the tender look he threw at her before he removed his hands from her leg.

Quickly Draco reached for his wand that still lay on the bed, where only minutes before he had been peacefully sleeping. He backed rapidly away and soon his back bumped against the opposite wall. Draco took one last look at Hermione still on the bed, turning paler and paler as she lost more and more blood. Her face was turned towards him and she was watching him, a stupid smile spread across her face. He raised and aimed his wand.

"_Stupefy."_ Red light shot out of his wand and Draco bowed his head, but half a second later he was by Hermione's side again. Her blood flow had slowed considerably. He nodded in approvable as one arm darted out and snatched a bandage from the top of the pile. Industriously he set about his work. She was going to live. She had to. He would make her. He would pull her through this. Draco's eyes were wet with emotion.

No one had ever trusted him before. Not like this. He had never really had true friends. He had never had anyone to tell his secrets to, who didn't try to flirt with him or gape at him when he spoke. He had come so close to telling Hermione today. Hermione was so… understanding. She would pull through. She had to. He needed her. And she trusted him.

He wiped his eyes on the back of his arm leaving blood smeared across his face before he reapplied pressure to Hermione's bandaged leg. He was too stressed, he decided. He needed to sleep, but he wouldn't. Oh no. He wouldn't be sleeping for a long time.

He never saw the green eyes that had peered at them through a small hole in the wall, glimmering with danger even as they moved away and hole closed.

* * *

"_I will be going on my first date with a new girlfriend. My new girlfriend will be…"_ Ron tapped his chin with his quill in thought, then grinned wickedly. 

"_My new girlfriend will be Snape. And due to…"_ He glanced at the almanac that was propped up on the table. _"The passing of Jupiter behind the Sun, I will have no clean socks."_ He glanced up in time to see Harry stalk rigidly in through the portrait hole. Casually, Ron laid down his quill, screwed the lid back onto his inkwell and rolled up his parchment. Divination homework could wait.

He motioned to the chair opposite him. "Seat, Harry?"

"I've seen them."

"Wha-?" But Harry had gone, had walked up to their dorm. Completely ignoring his things that were sprawled across the table, and the curious looks he was receiving from other Gryffindors, Ron hurried after him.

When he found him, Harry was sitting hunched and cross-legged on his bed. Ron went to join him and as he sat, Harry reached up and shut the hangings, then cast a quick silencing spell. Ron arched an eyebrow and made himself more comfortable.

"You've seen them?"

"Outside the library."

"They were outside the library?" Ron made to get up but was stilled as Harry shook his head. Ron waited for Harry to begin.

"I was going to the library to do some more animagus research when I heard voices. The only trouble was that there was no one around, but something caught my eye."

"And?"

"And there was a little hole in the wall, at my exact eye-level. So I looked through it. And I saw them." Harry stopped talking abruptly. It took an impatient minute on Ron's part before he started again.

"Hermione was surrounded by blood; masses and masses of it. It was… awful." Ron's head jerked up to meet Harry's eyes, and when he saw the water in them he knew that this was no sick joke. Then he felt real fear; fear for Hermione and fear because of the murderous look that had appeared on Harry's face.

"Malfoy was just standing there, looking at her. He had his back to me but I knew he was saying something to her, lies probably. Then she looked at him and she said 'I trust you'. Then he reached for his wand and walked away from her! Can you believe it? HE WALKED AWAY FROM HER! Left her there, lying in her own blood even while his hands dripped with it!" Harry was screeching and Ron looked on in horror, the scene playing in his mind's eye.

"And that's not the worst bit." Ron looked dazedly at Harry; what could possibly be worst? "He cast a spell on her. I didn't hear what, but the traitorous bastard cast a spell on her and… and then… Ron," Harry caught his eye. "She went still."

Silence followed.

"Dumbledore." Ron's voice cracked even as he said it.

* * *

The eyes had lost their twinkle. 

"And what did you do Harry?"

"I reached to get my wand to hex Malfoy, but the hole had closed." Dumbledore nodded.

"And you say you were thinking about them as you walked past?"

"Yes Professor."

Dumbledore looked across at Ron who sat motionless next to Harry, staring into space. Dumbledore's lemon drops had survived uneaten throughout the time the Weasley had been there; that was the first and perhaps most apparent sign that something serious had happened. Dumbledore turned back to Harry and stared through him. It was a long, awkward moment before he spoke again. Ron seemed oblivious.

"Take Ron to the Hospital Wing immediately; Poppy will have something for the both of you. You will stay there until called for. You will not speak of this. Understood?" Dumbledore's voice was harsh and brusque. There was no arguing. Harry stood angrily and grabbed Ron's arm, dragging him out of the office without once looking back at Dumbledore. Ron followed obediently, having lost all control of his muscles.

Dumbledore watched them leave before grabbing some floo powder from a porcelain jar next to the hearth and throwing it into the fire. He knelt and thrust his head into the green flames, speaking his destination.

"Poppy!" He called. The bustling nurse hurried into view.

"Albus?"

"Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley are on their way. Have a heavy sleeping draught ready, and make sure that they drink it. Hex them if you have to. Then keep them out of sight."

"Albus! What?" She stopped. "Where are you going Albus?"

The twinkle reappeared and the lips behind the silver beard quirked upwards.

"I, my dear Poppy, am going to the library."


	12. Baa baa black sheep

**The Room of Necessity**

**Disclaimer**: Shhh! The voices are speaking… WHAT? I don't own Harry Potter? I don't believe you! Toto?

NOOOOO!

The voices say that I don't own any of the songs/lyrics in this chapter either. Darn. How can they be so cruel?

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

"_Enervate."_

Draco lowered his wand and hurried to Hermione's side once more, feeling for her hand and grasping it tightly in his own. He had finished bandaging her leg and so had removed the spell. With the wound so tightly wrapped the blood flow had considerably slowed and Draco was giddy with relief. Now all that was left was for Hermione to wake up… C'mon Hermione, wake up.

* * *

Dumbledore strode down the corridor, his robes fluttering in his wake. Baa baa black sheep was what he softly hummed to himself. Unknown to him, Professor Trelawnley was about to enter the corridor but hearing the terrible nursery rhyme, scurried quickly back to her room in the North Tower. Dumbledore carried on. Yet, his thoughts were not on little Baa Baa, oh no. His thoughts were dwelling on a certain Mr Malfoy and Miss Granger.

As he turned another corner and looked to his left, Dumbledore's wrinkled old face broke into a smile at the sight of a door he had not seen for many, many years.

* * *

Draco was sitting next to Hermione on the bed, still clutching her hand. He had moved her onto the blood-less side of the bed, but that had simply made the huge red stain more obvious. Draco had wrapped her in the duvet to keep her warm and had cushioned her head with many pillows but she was still pale, and hadn't moved.

Draco was in a very similar state, and near exhaustion although he sat deep in thought. Absently he massaged her palm with his thumb as his unfocused eyes traced the lines on the opposite wall without registering any details... until now. Why were there lines on the wall when there hadn't been before? And why only there? And why were they outlining a rectangle? He started suddenly. Was that a _door_? He jumped down from the bed and started towards it, Hermione's hand forgotten. A door. A door! He couldn't believe his eyes. Slowly, tentatively, he reached out a pale hand towards it... when it was violently flung open and he was forced to jump back to avoid being hit. In the doorway stood a suddenly very tall Professor Dumbledore.

Completely ignoring Draco, Dumbledore strode across the room and looked down at Hermione, his eyes not missing the drying stains that spread across the bed.

"Mr Malfoy? Please come here." Draco didn't hesitate. He walked up until he was standing next to Dumbledore.

"Explain." Draco looked up sharply. He had never heard Dumbledore sound so tense. Gulping, he took the plunge, and with a lot of stammering managed to relate what had happened to Dumbledore, starting from when him and Hermione had found themselves to be locked in the room. What they had discovered. That they had completed Stage One and Two. He did, however, omit a few things...

Dumbledore was still for a long while after Draco had finished. When he finally did move, it was only his mouth, which moved silently as if of its own accord. Draco stood next to him, his eyes raking Hermione's body to see if anything had changed. He saw nothing. Puzzled, he turned to Dumbledore.

"FATE!" Dumbledore roared, his flashing eyes searching the nearly empty room. Draco jumped away from him, shocked at the evident fury.

"I am Albus Dumbledore and as Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and the temporary guardian of these two pupils, I demand that you explain yourself."

Dumbledore watched grimly as another ball of light appeared and left a roll of parchment in his cupped, outstretched hands. He drew with his wand a stuffed armchair, seated himself comfortably and began to read, nodding occasionally to himself as his eyes darted across the page. Curious, Draco crept forwards until he could peer at the parchment over Dumbledore's shoulder. His eyes widened at what he read.

"_It was an itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini."_

What could it possibly mean? Was it about Hermione? Draco glanced over at Hermione uncertainly before looking down at the parchment again.

"_Is this the way to Amarillo?"_

What the hell was Amarillo? And why was the Room asking him that? Draco shook his head, closing his eyes tightly. Reluctantly, he opened one eye, then the other, finally looking at the parchment once more.

"_Draco loves Harry forever."_

He gave a cry and jumped back, glaring at the parchment in Dumbledore's hand even as he backed away and Dumbledore gave him a querying look. Draco ignored him, so Dumbledore turned back to the parchment and as he continued to read, a smile forming on his face. Draco kept his distance.

Abruptly, Dumbledore stood up and threw the parchment to the floor, where it disintegrated in a burst of flame. Draco watched him warily, but eventually relaxed. There was a certain twinkle in his Headmaster's eyes that there had not been before, and he took it as a good sign.

"Well Mr Malfoy, lets have a look at Miss Granger." And with that, Dumbledore turned to the bed, whipped out his wand, and the bandages around Hermione's leg fell away. The bleeding had stopped, thankfully. Moving to stand over her, Dumbledore aimed his wand at the gash in her leg and Draco watched mesmerised as the skin knitted itself back together. It was still very pink, but at least it was closed. Draco tore his eyes away to watch Dumbledore as he cleared the bed of any blood and turned towards the door.

"I hope to be seeing you soon, Draco." The trance was broken.

"Professor! You're not just going to...going to _leave_, are you?" He finished, uncertain.

"Yes Draco, I am. The Room has explained its plan to me, and you will be unable to leave here until your task is complete. Do not worry. Everything will be fine." And with a small smile and a twirl of his robes, Dumbledore left. Draco watched, disbelieving and open mouthed as the door disappeared once more. With an angry growl he was about to launch himself at the wall when...

"Draco?"

He was by her side in an instant, gripping her hand so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"I'm here Hermione. I'm here. Its alright now, everything's going to be OK. It's gone, I'm here. Don't worry Hermione. I'm here." He was nearly wringing her hand. She looked at him curiously.

"What are you going on about?"

Draco looked startled, then embarrassed. He dropped her hand.

"Oh..." Memories of the night before came crashing down on her, and they weren't all pleasant. Hermione levered herself into a sitting position and Draco sat next to her on the bed. He looked sullenly at the opposite wall. He was so tired...

Feeling a gentle pressure on his shoulder, Draco turned to look at Hermione. For a moment all he could see was hair, masses and masses of bushy, unbrushed hair that needed at least a steam roller to go over it. Maybe he could conjure an iron or something… But then he saw her face and his eyes became locked onto her beseeching, watery ones; which stood out so starkly against her pale face.

"Thank you Draco. For… for everything." He didn't move. Her voice became worried.

"Have you slept at all?" He shook his head almost imperceptibly, still looking at her eyes in wonder.

"Come." Draco could only look at her. He couldn't move. The relief, the tiredness… it was all too much to cope with. Hermione was alive, awake, talking to him. The one person in the world that had ever trusted him was alive. Dumbledore had come, healed her, had said everything was going to be OK. Hermione was back, was whole… and was worried about _him_, thanking _him_. He was too shocked to speak, let alone act. All he could do was stare at her wordlessly, brutally fighting any tears of relief that wanted to make themselves known.

And yet, Hermione seemed to understand this. Gently, firmly, she reached forward and grasped hold of both of his arms, and pulled them towards herself. She pulled him forward and positioned him next to her, pushed him gently until he was lying on his back. She put one of her many pillows under his head and covered him with the thick green duvet. Draco was silent, unresisting. He watched as if from a distance as she manoeuvred and positioned his body on the bed, and then gingerly lowered herself until she was lying on her side next to him. He turned his gaze away from her, to stare straight ahead at the ceiling. He was in shock.

Draco jumped as he felt something snake around his waist and glanced uncertainly at Hermione, who was a lot closer than he had thought. Sighing contentedly, she rested her head on his chest, her arm lax but wrapped firmly around his middle and she closed her eyes, a peaceful smile spreading across her face

Draco was unsure; he didn't know what to do. He reached up and gently he let his fingertips brush against her cheek, scared that he was only dreaming. Happiness overwhelmed him as he realised that she was indeed there and would not disappear, and that both of them were safe.

Draco looked at the ceiling once more before closing his eyes and letting his tired body get a bit of rest. Everything was going to be OK. He knew it.

* * *

_Meanwhile:_

Harry and Ron woke up to find themselves in the Hospital Wing, Dumbledore sitting comfortably in a chair between them and humming Baa baa black sheep to himself.

"Professor..." Ron warned at seeing Harry's eyes flash.

Nobody drugged him and got away with it. Nobody. Dumbledore froze as Madam Pomfrey came bustling in.

"Glad to see you are both awake..." She trailed into silence at the look she was receiving.

"Harry, don't..." It was too late.

* * *

**A/N**

Sorry for the long time it took to update, but I had a bit of writers block and then HBP came out and well… you know. Either way, I thought I'd write something sweet to cheer me up after what had happened. I've chosen to ignore a certain aspect of the book and decided to carry on with this fic, regardless. Please don't flame.

But, THANK YOU! Wow. I never thought I'd be so happy in my life! I got more reviews for last chapter than ever before. Woohoo! A HUMONGOUS thanks to EVERYONE!

Also, as Snicker16 kindly pointed out, maybe I should change my summary so more people will read my fic. But as luck would have it, I can't write summaries to safe my life from bunnies. So, if anyone had any suggestions…? They'd be more than welcome.

And FINALLY, if anyone has finished HBP and wants to have a good grumble, or express their feelings of disbelief, please e-mail me. I think we have something in common. Grrr… Or visit Incoming fluff for the next few chapters.


	13. Forbidden Forest and lots of sleep

**The Room of Necessity**

**Disclaimer:** (To the tune of 'Is this the way to Amarillo?')

Is this the way to Harry Potter? Many miles from JK Rowling. Too bad that I own nothing. Men in white coats come for me…

**Translation:** Toto insists that I do these, but I really don't know why… Okay OKAY! I own nothing! Happy? You strip me of everything I have; my dignity, my pride… Grumble grumble…

**Chapter Thirteen**

Harry and Ron struggled to keep up with Hagrid as he strode across the entrance hall and out of the huge double doors. Ron looked uncertainly between the other two; silence had reigned over all of them since they had left Dumbledore's office. Now he and Harry had detention for a month split between Hagrid and Filch - so they'd have to go to detention _as well as_ do all their homework and have quidditch practice. Bloody hell.

When first told the reason behind the punishment Hagrid had simply refused to believe his ears… that is until Harry had told him that Madam Pomfrey had deserved everything she'd got for giving them a sleeping draught under false pretences.

Ron broke out of his reverie as they strode past the lake, and Hagrid shook his shaggy mane.

"I can' believe yeh Harry. How _dare_ yeh? Hexin' poor Poppy and all she ever did was give yeh a nice sleep – just like Dumbledore had asked her to."

Silence met his ears. Unfazed, Hagrid walked on. Harry dropped back to Ron and gave him a conspiratorial wink.

"That's not all I did." Ron's jaw dropped.

"Harry…"

"Let's just say that Fred and George had a hand in it…" Grinning, Harry quickened his pace to catch up with Hagrid who was retrieving his crossbow from the side of his hut. Ron ran to meet them and was joined by Fang who came bounding out of the forest, yapping madly.

Ron blinked as he realised that Hagrid was still ranting on, and Harry was beginning to look remorseful.

"It ain' righ' Harry. Yeh just don't _do_ tha' sorta thing. Not at Hogwarts. Dumbledore knows what he's doin'. He ain' the greatest wizard there is for nothin'."

"Hagrid?" Harry tugged on his sleeve to attract his attention. "I've got to go and tell Madam Pomfrey something." Hagrid's eyes welled up with tears.

"Goin' t'apologise already are yeh? Yeh're a good boy Harry, like I always said. A good boy." Hagrid patted Harry hard on the head with one of his large hands before continuing on into the forest, muttering to himself on the lines of ''E's a good boy, 'e is.'

Harry and Ron had only enough time to exchange bewildered looks before jogging after him, jumping over various pieces of forest debris.

"So can I go and see Madam Pomfrey?"

"No Harry, not tonight."

Harry opened his mouth to protest, but the half-giant had already walked off again, Fang at his heels.

OoOoO

As with any trip into the Forbidden Forest, they soon strayed away from any recognisable paths and eventually they came across a small clearing.

"Hagrid?" Ron's voice cracked. "Where are we?"

"And why?" Harry added anxiously.

It was a new moon and _lumos_ didn't cast much light, let alone enough to penetrate the thick darkness which hung over the forest like a suffocating cloak. Hagrid raised a hand for silence as he peered into the shadows between the trees, his beetle eyes narrowed. Finally he turned to the boys behind him.

"There's somethin' new in the forest and its scarin' the other animals – makin' 'em nervous like. So we've come to see if we can find it."

And then he was off again, his broad body cutting a large swathe through the underbrush.

"Keep close now." Hagrid called back over his shoulder, but he needn't have for Harry and Ron were almost stepping on him they were following so closely. If they had come to hunt for something evil in the Forbidden Forest, they wouldn't be straying too far from Hagrid and his crossbow; not by choice, anyway. Despite various evidence (mostly procured by Malfoy), they were not _that_ stupid…

OoO

Minutes passed in silence.

"I bet it was Snape."

"Huh?"

Ron looked sidelong at Harry before repeating himself, and Harry nodded vigorously in agreement.

"Yeah, Umbridge won't come in here anymore and Fred and George are at the shop…"

"So we're looking for Snape. If you see your face reflected in a curtain of grease, give us a yell." Harry grinned at Ron appreciatively, and silence descended once more.

OoO

**15 minutes later:**

Tension was rising. Hagrid kept making frequent stops to listen and peer into shadows, and every leaf rustling was an acromantula coming to eat them. It was nerve-wracking to say the least, but the silence would only thicken, deepen, until…

CRASH!

Hagrid whipped around and brought up his crossbow. Harry ducked into a crouch, hexes forming on his lips, the light from his wand tip extinguished. Ron picked himself up from the forest floor, brushing off the seat of his robes.

"Sorry." He said, sheepish. "Walked into a tree."

Hagrid told him to be more careful before lowering his crossbow and stalking off again. Ron started to follow when he noticed that Harry was no longer with him. Turning, he realised that Harry was immobilised. Incapacitated. Incapable of voluntary movement. He was hunched over against the base of a tree, slapping his thigh as his slight frame was wracked with giggles.

"Harry? Are you alright?" Ron asked, uncertain. Harry's laughter was becoming slightly hysterical…

Another wave of giggles was his only reply. Scowling, Ron turned to go but stopped as he heard Harry gasp a protest. He looked back in query.

"Need _gasp_ to be with you Ron _gasp_. In case _gasp_ you come across any trees." Harry then collapsed onto the floor, clutching his aching sides through his giggles.

Ron left.

OoO

**Ten minutes later:**

"Ron, where's Harry?" Hagrid was looking about him as if expecting Harry to jump out from behind a tree and yell Boo! at any second.

Ron looked around, then back at Hagrid with wide eyes. He was sure that Harry had followed them, but if he hadn't… Uh oh.

CRASH!

Two heads whipped around and a crossbow and wand were raised. A second later there was even more crashing, but this time the cause was Ron and Hagrid as they charged through the forest in the direction of the red sparks that were being shot into the air.

OoO

**One minute later:**

"Harry?" Hagrid asked, worried.

"_Snape?"_ Ron asked, disbelieving.

Harry stood there, grinning his head off as a petrified Professor Snape hovered a couple of inches above the forest floor and moved as Harry moved his wand. Ron was looking at him as if he'd grown tentacles. To Harry, the whole situation was _incredibly_ amusing. Hagrid, however, did not appear to be so entertained. Snape – well Harry would find out his reaction when he took off the spell. Which he didn't plan on doing any time soon. Contrary to popular belief, he didn't have a death wish.

"Harry. We're goin' ta Dumbledore."

Harry's face fell.

OoOoO

And so Harry told his tale to Dumbledore, as he had so many other tales. He explained how he had lost Hagrid and Ron, and had been following what he thought to be their trail until he had heard a loud crash. Assuming that Ron had collided with another tree, (Dumbledore smiled widely here), he had raced in the direction of the sound but had found on his arrival not the half-giant and boy he had been hoping for, but a dark, cloaked figure standing with his back to Harry. Wordlessly, Harry had petrified him (Dumbledore had nodded in approval), and had then sent red sparks flying in the hopes that Hagrid or Ron might see them. Then he had been shocked to find that the hooded 'beast' was, in fact, Snape ("_Professor_ Snape, Harry") – as Ron and he had predicted. Professor Snape was now hovering in a corner of Dumbledore's office, still petrified and awaiting questioning.

Harry and Ron had then been dismissed to bed. Fatigue finally having caught up with them they left willingly, forcing their leaden legs to move and climb back to their dormitories, where they instantly fell asleep.

* * *

Draco twitched in his sleep, then woke with a start. He was fighting, fighting… then he stilled. The warm arms that encircled him moved, and Hermione sat up on her elbow and peered at him through that dark, trying to see his face. Her bushy hair was loose and hung on either side of her head. She blinked the sleep from her eyes as she gazed down at him.

"Draco?"

He stared at her, the remnants of his dream dissipating. She was alive. She was there. He smiled; an actual real, happy smile, and extricated his arms from the duvet. Gently he pushed her back down onto the mattress and she yielded with little protest. Draco lay back down next to her and covered them both with the duvet as Hermione yawned widely and watched him. Firmly he took her arms and placed them around him once more; she smiled slightly at his cheek but complied. With one hand he stroked her hair, absently untangling knots with his fingers. They stayed like that for the rest of the night: Hermione lying against him, asleep, while Draco caressed her head, deep in thought.

There would be no sleep for him that night.

OoOoO

Draco watched as the light slowly grew in the Room. It had no source - it just was, but right now it had the golden quality of dawn. Hermione shifted against his chest and with a sigh raised her head to look at him.

"'Morning Sunshine. You'd better not have drooled on me." Hermione's eyes narrowed.

"I seem to remember a certain Draco Malfoy to be the current champion in that area."

"Never."

"I do believe it's true."

"But not for much longer. I take it you're training for the honour?" He plucked at his t-shirt, examining it for any signs of saliva.

"Look at yourself Draco. See any drool? No. You're talking rubbish." He grinned at her in playfulness, but it quickly faded when he was her wince as she tried to sit up. He quickly leaned forward to help but she batted his hand away like a fly.

"Leave me be. I'm not an invalid."

"Well technically…"

"Technically nothing. Let's have breakfast." Her brisk manner reminded him of McGonagall. Worrying.

Hermione pushed back the duvet to get out of bed, but one look at the remnants of her clothes and she had turned back to Draco.

"You seem to get through clothes remarkably quickly Hermione."

She pulled an exasperated face.

"Okay, okay…"

Hermione looked down at herself, and had to stifle a giggle.

"This is not _quite_ what I had in mind..." She was wearing a pink frilly tu-tu. Draco shrugged. Poof. Hermione was wearing a turtleneck and a flowing skirt. She noted how wearing this would allow easy access to her bandages. Clever.

"Food?"

"Go ahead."

Breakfast appeared on the bed in front of them, and they tucked in.

OoO

"We're going to have to imagine showers at some point."

"A bath would be better for your leg."

"Either. I just need to get clean. And you need to get some new clothes. No offence Draco, but you're starting to whiff a bit."

Draco looked highly offended.

"_Excuse_ me? Look who's talking mudblood." Hermione flinched, and Draco closed his eyes as he realised what he'd just said.

"Hermione, I –"

"Don't Draco. Just… don't."

"Hermione, I'm sorry. I just – "

Hermione rounded on Draco, but deflated in a second. She looked at him more critically. Hollow cheeks, puffy eyes, black bags…

"Draco, when was the last time you've actually slept?"

"I – sleep?" He blinked at her, uncomprehending, and that was when it clicked. The penny fell, you could say.

Hermione guided him back onto the bed and covered him.

"Okay Draco. You're to have a nice long sleep, don't worry about any dreams. I'll be right here to wake you up, so nothing will come true. We'll take it in turns to sleep, and I've slept loads in the last 24 hours, so you're to sleep your heart out. Understood?" Draco nodded and visibly relaxed as she settled herself next to him, holding in her lap a book that he'd imagined for her earlier. With a sigh, he looked at her once more and closed his eyes, quickly falling into a deep sleep. Reaching out, Hermione gently brushed away some of the hair that lay across his face and looked at him. So peaceful…

She tucked her own locks behind her ears and looked down at her book, propping it against her knees. She opened it and began to read.

Draco slept more fully than he had for a long, long time.

* * *

Harry and Ron had been planning on a lie in, but in the end Harry was up and about in the common room a mere few hours after dawn, and Ron woke up just in time for breakfast, as usual. It was upon their arrival in the Great Hall that Harry realised with a jolt that he had in fact forgotten to go and see Madam Pomfrey the night before. Oops. Ron appeared to have spotted her too, which was not entirely hard to do seeing as she had turned a fascinating shade of neon orange.

"What did you do?" Ron asked in an amused side whisper as they sat down at the furthest end of the Gryffindor table. Harry grimaced.

"Custom made skin powder." At Ron's confused look he elaborated. "Every time she thinks my name she'll turn a brighter shade." Ron grinned and Harry grimaced again as Madam Pomfrey skin increased its resemblance to a highlighter. "I didn't think she'd be this bright this quickly, you'd think she'd have realised to stop thinking my name yet. She'll be getting blue spots soon…"

And sure enough, blue spots appeared. Professor Trelawnley looked positively petrified of her, and Professor Flitwick was busy spreading the table with jam, his toast forgotten. Madam Pomfrey appeared oblivious.

Eventually Dumbledore drifted in behind another group of staring, whispering students and the madness was put to an end. He did not sit in his usual throne-like chair but instead seated himself elegantly next to a surprised Madam Pomfrey. Pouring some pumpkin juice for himself, he said to her by way of conversation:

"My dear Poppy, were you up late last night?"

"In fact I was Albus. I fell asleep in the Hospital Wing…" She trailed off as she saw someone point at her from the Slytherin table, and the end of the table erupted in laughter.

"May I suggest then Poppy, that you go back to your rooms and maybe have a shower? I will be sending someone along to you shortly." Madam Pomfrey had to do a double-take of him before complying with his request, not completely understanding the meaning behind it until she had passed out of the hall and looked at her reflection in a suit of armour. Ginny later claimed that you could even hear the scream on the quidditch pitch.

Harry left soon after Madam Pomfrey's dramatic departure and when Dumbledore next saw Poppy she was back to her usual colour, but very perplexed as to why she had had a mild bout of orange skin with polka dots.

* * *

A few hours later Draco awoke, much refreshed. Next to him Hermione quietly turned a page, and sensing a change in his breathing pattern glanced up. Seeing him awake she marked her place and set the book down, turning to face him.

"How are you feeling?"

Draco's reply was to stretch leisurely, hearing his joints crack with a satisfaction that is seldom achieved.

"I see." He returned her smile as he sat up and rubbed the sleep dust out of his eyes.

"Now. Down to business." He raised an eyebrow in question and she continued, smirking. "What kind of bath did you say you wanted?"

OoO

**Two minutes later:**

"Not _quite_ the size of the Prefect's bath but good enough I suppose…"

"And a nice big screen for your Ladyship." Draco bowed mockingly and Hermione curtsied in reply.

When they had wished for the bath it had appeared, already full of steaming water. Hermione and Draco could feel the hot vapours rising from the surface.

There was a pause.

"Me first!" Draco sprinted towards the swimming pool sized bath, and when Hermione made to race him he jumped, landing in the water with a huge splash, still fully clothed. Hermione watched the water steadily creep along the stone floor, and sighing in resignation she closed the screen behind her and went to pick up her book. She was sighing a lot lately, she decided.

OoO

A good hour later, Hermione was very impatient.

"Draco, get out right now or I'm gonna come in there and drag you out, shampoo in your hair or not."

"Coming, coming… Merlin, you sure know how to make a man feel loved Hermione." The sounds of splashing reached her ears and Hermione stood up, eager for her bath.

"Hermione…"

"What now?" She asked, exasperated.

"Well, I can come out with no clothes on if you'd like..."

"NO! No, that will be… fine thank you. Hold on a second." She screwed her face trying to imagine some half-decent clothes.

"HERMIONE!" There was a note of panic in his voice. Worried, Hermione whipped back the screen and an interesting sight greeted her eyes. "No WAY am I wearing a pink t-shirt!"

His response was a very Slytherin smirk.

"_Real_ men wear pink."

Draco looked at her sharply and accusingly, shaking his finger at the pink mass of cloth that lay crumpled on the floor. "You planned this, didn't you." It wasn't a question, and his voice was deadly. The smirk died on Hermione's face, and in two seconds Draco was back in his usual black, smiling as if nothing had happened. He was doing an awful lot of smiling lately…

Scowling, Hermione pushed him away from the bath tub and closed the screen for privacy as she emptied and refilled the bath tub.

She made sure to take her time.

* * *

**A/N**

Okay, I'm gonna leave it there. You see, I passed the ONE HUNDRED reviews mark on my last chapter, so in celebration I thought I'd write you all an extra long chapter. Hope you like it. I've been writing it all over the last week (on the train) and then I've spent my WHOLE Saturday finishing it off and touching it up. So considering the amount of effort I've pumped into this particular chapter, ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE has to review. And if that isn't a good enough reason, I haven't left you on a cliff hanger either, as you may have noticed…

I think that this is my first chapter that hasn't ended in a cliffie. Momentous occasion. Good reason to review.

Thank you to everyone who HAS reviewed, and as always if you can think of any ways I could improve, please let me know.

_Also, thanks are due to Natyslacks, who is the owner of the line "_Real_ men wear pink."_

BYE!

-Greenfly


	14. The Little Match Girl

**The Room of Necessity**

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Harry Potter or 'The Little Match Girl'. I do, however, own that bar of chocolate that is lying on that table over there. So lay off!

**Chapter Fourteen**

"_Gentle arms lifted her from the snowy ground, and the little match girl was surrounded by warmth and peace. The End."_

Sighing Hermione leaned her head back against Draco's shoulder and he smiled down at her. They were sitting on the bed up against the wall and Draco had one arm wrapped around Hermione's shoulders, so she was using him as a backboard more than the wall. He did not mind at all.

For lack of anything better to do, they had decided to read a story from the book. Settling down comfortably together, Hermione had chosen one she knew and liked and had begun to read it aloud.

Quietly, Hermione closed the book.

"So?" She asked.

"So what?" He was absently fiddling with a lock of her hair by her ear. He twined it around and around his fingers as he had been doing for the last half hour.

"What did you think?"

"It's really good. What happens next?"

"Nothing. She died." Hermione felt Draco tense slightly behind her and awkwardly (mindful of her sore leg) she turned so that she could see his face more clearly. His arm slid from her shoulder and into his lap.

"Died?" He croaked. Hermione nodded, looking at him oddly.

"Of course. It's all part of the moral of the story; you know, the hidden message from which we can learn?"

"A hidden message… you mean like in 'The Boy Who Cried Werewolf'?"

Draco hardly saw Hermione nod – his mind was racing. Hidden message, hidden message… To begin with he'd been thinking mostly about Hermione: her closeness; the flowery smell of her freshly washed and dried hair; the tone of her voice as she read aloud; his own heart beating faster and faster as she snuggled up to him, trying to get more comfortable… To be completely honest, his thoughts and feelings had been in a state of chaos, and she had unconsciously been playing havoc with them. Draco had had to stop it before he embarrassed himself. Plus, his palms were getting sweaty, and he HATED sweaty palms. So in a bid to distract himself he had decided to actually listen as Hermione read 'The Little Match Girl', and had been utterly captivated.

Draco had never really been read to as a child, so the lilting voice of a practised storyteller had an extreme effect on him. The words had wrapped themselves around him, encircled him, embraced him, engulfed him. He was intoxicated. He saw the little match girl in his mind and was swept along with her story, her trials. Her story had become him. He could empathise with her. Her fear. He knew it because it was his own.

Draco's heart had lifted when the little match girl had finally found her grandmother and happiness. How could she be dead? Draco felt shivers pass up and down his spine; he had a thing with death. He just didn't like it. Not since… he shook his head violently, trying to dislodge the thought, his eyes tightly closed. His mind didn't register Hermione take his hands in hers, worried and confused. Draco thought back, attempting to prevent the path down which he knew that train of thought would wander. Hidden message…

The little match girl had had to sell matches, because she was poor. Oh dear, Draco thought sarcastically. What a pity. Then she had dropped her matches, and when she went home she was beaten. Draco had little sympathy. _Crucio_ was far worse – he was sure. He could remember many _crucio_'s past; first hand experience.

But then the little match girl had gone out again, and this was the bit that struck a chord. She had gone out because she had been told to, even though it was winter and cold, with snow on the ground and she had no shoes. She had obeyed, done something ultimately very bad for her, because of fear of a beating. Fear of her father. And then she had died. No real, kind grandmother had come to take her from her pain, she had simply died. It had all been her imagination. Draco realised with a start the hidden message, the moral of the story. He looked up at Hermione and his eyes were caught by hers. _Do not let fear of another dictate your actions_. Do what is best for _you_, right for _you_.

But that brought him back to his original train of thought, and now there was no obvious escape. He _was_ scared. He felt fear. And he was going to do what he knew was wrong because he was too frightened of what would happen if he didn't. He stared into Hermione's eyes, seeing nothing. He didn't feel her squeeze his hands. He could only think. No one knew! No one understood his pain...

OoO

Hermione watched him, confused and quickly becoming more concerned. She'd only asked him what he thought of the story! And mentioned the hidden message… Of course she had her own opinions about what that was, but interpretations tended to be unique to an individual. And then Draco's face had flashed with a remembered sort of… pain? She wasn't sure. She wasn't sure she wanted to find out. She had taken his hands, trying to reassure him – let him know that she was here – and then he had looked up and their eyes had locked, and she had fallen into pools of silver blue, had seen a torrent of thoughts, then pain. Then fear. Slowly, stealthily, a tear leaked out of one of his eyes and slipped down his cheek, completely unnoticed be him. But Hermione saw and the spell was broken. Tentatively she reached out to him and although he did not react she took courage. She enveloped him in a hug. She held him tightly, supporting him as he clutched at her like a lifeline and sobbed into her shoulder.

Hermione did not understand, she did not know; but she did not need to. She was there and that was enough. She held him as he trembled, stroking him back and murmuring soothing nonsense into his ear as he cried.

It was enough.

* * *

**A/N**

Don't worry if you are left completely confused by this chapter. The next chapter will explain all!

Excuse me if I got the story 'The Little Match Girl' a bit wrong, I read it ages ago.

OK, throughout this fic (because it's my first) I've been experimenting with writing styles. I would be really grateful if you would let me know which one/chapter you liked the most and why etc. Only if you can, but it would be very, very much appreciated. Constructive criticism is welcomed.

No cliffie in this chapter either! AH! I'm losing my touch…

**Pen-behind-my-ear** – To answer your questions: First, they can wish dreams away (they did with the bunnies) but they both need to want them to go away at the same time. With the monster, Hermione was asleep and when she woke up she wasn't in much of a state to be wishing for anything, due to certain… factors. I think that that has sort of answered question two as well, if not let me know.

**xXWitchXx** – You're not the only one who wants him in leather. Maybe later… Just for you. ;-)

**Pureangel** – The Room is governed by Fate i.e. has a mind of its own. So when Fate deems it necessary certain things can't happen i.e. Hermione and Draco can not simply wish themselves out of the Room, and they can not wish for Hermione to get better immediately. The reasons behind this is firstly because they need to learn something through these experiences and secondly if this didn't happen I wouldn't have much of a story. ;-) So there ya go. I hope that has helped. Also, the last task will be completed soon! I will say exactly what it is in the A/N at the end of chappie 15. See if you can guess. Thank you for your questions/review.

**And for absolutely everyone**: Review! More reviews faster updates!

Love,

-Greenfly


	15. Fate makes way for Destiny

**The Room of Necessity**

**Disclaimer**: The world is full of possibilities, and people accomplish the impossible on a daily basis. _But_, I'm afraid to say that owning Harry Potter is a little _too_ impossible; for me, anyway. At least that's what Toto says, but I can still hope… I'll keep you posted!

**Chapter Fifteen**

_**Last Time:**_

_Hermione did not understand, she did not know; but she did not need to. She was there and that was enough. She held him as he trembled, stroking him back and murmuring soothing nonsense into his ear as he cried._

_It was enough.

* * *

_

Draco had run out of tears. All the emotion that had been bottled up for years had been released, and Hermione's shirt was soaking. Guiltily he pulled back from the embrace and wished her a dry shirt, but nothing happened; she needed to want a dry shirt too. Why didn't she? If it was him or anybody else he knew that would be the first thing on their mind. Oh well.

Draco reached up to dry his cheeks but found he didn't need to. Two gentle thumbs had already brushed his tears away - Hermione's hands had lingered on either side of his face. Briefly Draco held one of her hands there with his own before letting it drop. He and Hermione were sitting facing each other; he could smell her. He could see a small mole on her neck. If he reached out he could touch her bushy hair…

"Want to talk about it?" She sounded concerned but not pushy. She didn't demand an explanation she simply asked if he'd like to get something off of his chest.

And then Draco knew. Instinctively he trusted her and knew she wouldn't tell a soul. He could tell her and she would understand.

"The Dark Lord. My father."

"Ah." Hermione leaned back, reeling under the wave of realisation. She didn't need Draco to elaborate.

"At the end of this year I'm supposed to join his ranks, or disappoint father." Draco imitated waving and pointing a wand. "Crucio." He muttered bitterly.

Hermione had never realised, she never could have guessed.

"Oh Draco." Her shoulders slumped.

He looked at her sharply.

"Don't pity me."

"Oh Draco." She said, smiling slightly and shaking her head.

He was getting angry now. He wouldn't have told her if he had thought he'd be pitied. He shouldn't have –

"So what are you going to do about it?"

"Huh?"

Hermione repeated herself, and was mildly surprised at Draco's expression. It seemed as if he hadn't thought of doing anything at all; hadn't considered an alternative.

At her words Hermione saw something flash behind his eyes and plunged on.

"Draco, do you remember Sirius Black? He ran away from home at sixteen because his family were You-Know-Who supporters."

That shocked him.

"Where did he go?"

"The Potter's."

Draco snorted.

"Potter to the rescue huh?"

Hermione looked at him sternly.

"Sirius went to a friend's house until he could get a place of his own. He did what he had to for what he knew was right, and people jumped to help him. The same would happen for anyone." She gave him a sly look and he raised an eyebrow. "Anyone, Draco."

"Didn't Sirius try to kill Potter at some point?"

"No he only ever tried to kill Peter, but that's behind the point and you know it."

Grudgingly Draco admitted the truth in what Hermione had just said.

"I'll think about it."

"Good." Hermione smiled before pulling him into a quick hug. She liked hugging him.

OoO

Draco was startled when he was rewarded with a hug, but happily he wrapped his arms around Hermione. He could get used to this…

OoO

Just as Hermione was about to pull back, Draco wrapped his arms around her and what had originated as a quick 'I'm-happy-for-you' friendship hug was prolonged. And it was then that Hermione's senses made themselves known. You see, you're awfully close when you're hugging someone, and Hermione became abruptly aware of this, along with the thousands of butterflies that had just apparated into her stomach. Oh dear. Oh Merlin. She could feel his hot breath fluttering the hair by her ear. She could swear she felt his heart beating, more and more rapidly, keeping pace with her own. She was acutely aware of his hands on her back, arms resting on her hips. Her own arms tightened around his neck as he pulled her even closer. She could feel his body heat through her top. Hermione pulled back slightly and looked into Draco's face. His eyes were flicking frantically between her own, unable to focus on both at this distance, but then her vision was filled with his lips; his soft, pink lips. They were getting closer.

"Promise not to bite?"

But before she could answer, Draco had pressed his lips to hers and she sighed in pleasure, her eyes closing. Gently he kissed her; it was tenderness epitomised. His tongue slid in next to hers and their hot breath mingled, Hermione was in heaven.

Then his hands started to wander, and her eyes snapped open; but this time she _could_ pull away and did so – but only slightly.

"Er…" Hermione gulped. "Draco?" Her eyes searched around the room, trying to find inspiration.

"Hmmm?" He said, leaning forward again to continue the kiss.

"Is that a door?"

Draco whipped his head around so fast that he cricked his neck, but he ignored the momentary pain as he bounded over to the door and suddenly stood quite still. Tentatively he reached out a hand to the doorknob and Hermione held her breath.

Slowly, Draco turned the doorknob and the lock clicked. The sound of it echoed around the Room even as the door swung very gently open. It was only open a little, but Draco could see the corridor beyond.

Hermione sat very still on the bed. She was watching Draco's every move and her body tensed as he peered through the gap in the door. He turned to face her and she breathed in relief at the look on his face. He looked like Ron would if he had been given Honeydukes for Christmas.

Draco sprinted over and with a squeal Hermione was lifted off of the bed and into the air, and then he was spinning her around and around and they were yelling at the top of their lungs in happiness.

They were free.

* * *

"I can't believe we're actually going to read it! There goes our reputation: down the drain."

"Hermione will never let us live this down." Harry agreed unhappily.

Ron and Harry were on their way to the library. They had finally decided to read _'Hogwarts: A History'_ in case it held any gem of information in regards to secret moving rooms governed by mysterious entities.

Then they rounded a corner and Ron noticed something that hadn't been there before. He drew Harry's attention by elbowing him painfully in the ribs and pointing excitedly at the door. It was only then that the delighted screams coming through the half-open door reached their ears.

"Oh Draco!"

"YES! YES! YES!"

"DRACO!"

Harry's eyes met Ron's equally wide ones.

"Bloody hell, what's he _doing_ to her in there?"

"If that bastard…" But Harry didn't finish, he was too busy dashing towards the door, wand in hand. Ron raced after him, rolling up his sleeves as he ran.

* * *

"YES! YES! YES!" Draco spun around, holding Hermione high in the air.

"DRACO!" She screamed and he set her down gently, so she stood gazing into his eyes. "We're free." It was unbelievable.

Both spun around as the door banged open, and instinctively Draco stepped in front of Hermione; but it should have been the other way around. Harry stepped inside the doorway and started shouting random curses, wielding his wand in Draco's general direction. Meanwhile, Ron charged at him like a bull.

"Harry! Ron! STOP!" Hermione screamed, trying to pull Ron off of Draco while at the same time trying to bodily protect him from Harry.

Eventually, reluctantly, they backed off and Hermione helped a bloody, beaten Draco to stand.

"What the hell do you think you're doing Hermione?" Harry asked in a dangerously low voice. She met his eyes defiantly.

"What do you think _you're _doing Harry? Ron? C'mon Draco." Hermione grabbed their wands from beneath the pillows on the beds before draping Draco's arm across her shoulders and helping him to hobble towards the door. "I'll see you guys later." She said back over her shoulder.

Ron sat on the floor nursing his fist. As Hermione and Draco passed Harry, Draco smirked and winked suggestively at him. Harry lunged for Draco but missed as an oblivious Hermione manoeuvred them out of the door and helped Draco to walk towards the Hospital Wing.

"C'mon Ron," Harry mumbled, helping Ron to stand. "Let's go to the Common Room and wait for 'Mione to get back. I think we need to have a little chat…"

Ron nodded and led the way out of the Room, but before he followed Harry surveyed the Box. So this was The Room of Necessity. Harry's eyes missed nothing, sweeping over everything. He took in every detail from the giant bath sunken into the floor to the toilet with no screen, to the single unmade bed in the corner. He emitted a low growl before he turned his back on the Room of Necessity and stalked away. Harry made sure that the door slammed loudly behind him.

* * *

Somewhere else, Fate was smiling; another job well done.

She leaned back in her chair to watch the repercussions of her meddling, and helped herself to another lemon drop.

* * *

**A/N**

THE END!

Or is it?

After you review, check out the sequel! It's called 'Out of The Room and Into The Fire'. Not many people seemed to like the last few chapters (they _were_ a bit sappy, weren't they? But I _am_ experimenting, after all…), so the general tone of OotRaItF should be more like this fic was at the beginning, with bits of lurve mixed in. Also you'll be seeing more of Harry and Ron as Hermione's best friends, but probably not them exclusively.

Also, in case you hadn't guessed, the last task was to learn to trust (each other). There we go.

Thanks for reading.

With love,

Greenfly


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